Hidden Addiction
by whitephantom88
Summary: They understood only this: it had stemmed from an accident; it had continued against reason; it had stopped abruptly. But it hadn't ended. It was still there. Their hidden addiction. Yuki X Kyo/yaoi/shonnen-ai. I don't own anything.
1. Confusion

_italics = flashbacks_

/-/ = change of pov

~*~*~*~ = scene change

_**~Hidden Addiction~**_

_**:Confusion:**_

The curse was broken.

The silver-haired boy shook his head, closing his violet eyes and sighing. After living his whole life under the family curse, it didn't seem possible…every fear, every hope, every action and reaction he'd developed over the years were meaningless now. His fears, all unfounded. His hopes…well…all he'd ever really hoped for had happened. He was free from the curse. Now his life stretched before him, full of possibilities, opportunities, and chances…yet he had no idea what to do with it.

'No…' Yuki smiled wryly to himself, shaking his head. 'I _am _going to college in the fall. That's something I've planned for myself.' His smile slid from his face as another sigh escaped his lips. 'Something…but not much of something. I've no idea what I'm majoring in, no plans for afterward, no…' But here he stopped himself. He'd thought through this all before; it wasn't necessary to do it again. In fact, it'd only be depressing. So the silver-haired boy moved on. Opening his eyes once more, he let his gaze settle on the sun rising before him. Normally he'd never be awake this early, but since the curse had broken about a week ago, he couldn't seem to sleep. He'd slipped out of bed that morning, exhausted from tossing and turning all night, and snuck silently out of the house, toward the woods. If he couldn't sleep, he would think. Well, he'd think as best he could with his sleep-deprived brain.

It would have been nice to say that things slowly but steadily got better...that with the curse gone, the healing and 'normalness' they had all hoped for magically came to be. But reality was different...even freed from the curse, it seemed the Sohma family was unable to live a normal life. After the initial high was over, Yuki had found that he, along with most of the other zodiac members, had more to figure out than was previously thought. While some of the previously cursed cousins drew closer to their loved ones as they attempted to sort things out, others drifted away, distancing themselves. Yuki noted with a sort of cold amusement that he and Kyo had both been more distant with their respective girlfriends, while Hiro had drawn closer to Kisa, and Rin had been following Haru around constantly, almost completely forgoing her usual independant stance...

The rising sun filled the violet-eyed boy's vision; a giant ball of liquid fire, shimmering and unstable. It reminded him, strangely, of his orange-haired, crimson-eyed cousin...of whom he'd recently seen very little of. They both still lived in Shigure's house, but had been subconciously--or was it conciously?--avoiding each other. Their temporary truce had fallen into a semi-constant game of evasion.

"Yuki…" The voice was soft, almost uncertain, but still sounded slightly apathetic. Glancing down, Yuki forced a small smile. Here was another problem he'd have to deal with…sooner, he decided, rather than later. Right now, in fact.

"Hey, Machi…"

The quiet, brown-eyed girl simply looked at him, waiting. Her cheeks were tinged light pink; she looked radiant in the morning sun. Yuki felt his brow furrow; he couldn't do this…not now. She was finally coming out of her shell, showing her true self, becoming more confident…he couldn't do it now. He could deal with it a bit longer, couldn't he?

The thought slowly ripped his heart out. He couldn't wait any longer…besides, Machi could deal with it. She was stronger than she looked. Didn't he know that? And didn't he have enough experience with letting people down gently?

But still, she had only recently begun to trust people again…only recently been falling in love with the world again…only recently showed interest in the world…only recently begun to believe she was worth something…

Maybe he could wait a bit longer.

"Machi…" His mouth began again, and Yuki resignedly let his speech run it's course. He'd be leaving for college in the autumn; he'd best get it over with. "I'm glad I found you here. I need to tell you something--" He paused as he saw something flicker through Machi's eyes…fear?

"But you obviously came here for a reason as well." Yuki amended his speech, even as his heart constricted and his throat ached with the words he wanted so badly to say. Forcing himself to play the part he'd gotten so used to, Yuki managed to relax the muscles in his body, pulling his lips into a more convincing smile. "What is it?"

"I…I was just wondering if you were okay…you seem…tired." Machi took a deep breath, slowly releasing it. "And I wanted to clarify our…relationship…I thought…I was under the impression we were…together." Here the brunette blushed, her voice softer than normal. "Especially since you…well, after you…" Blushing even deeper, Machi shook her head. "But something's been...off...since then." Ending almost silently, Machi bowed her head, hiding an even more violent blush.

Yuki could feel his determination fading…the words he'd planned were dying inside of him as he stood there. How could he possibly say what he wanted now? Why…oh, why did Machi have to care this much? Why did he start something with her in the first place? The silence continued undisturbed, until Machi, silently dying inside, wondering why Yuki didn't so much as answer her, lifted her face to study his expression.

Yuki inhaled sharply at the sight of Machi's eyes. They were full of anxiety and brimming with tears. Instinctively, Yuki reached out and caught the first tear as it fell, brushing it off of her cheek. This sudden show of concern caught Machi off guard; acting purely on impulse, Machi leaned toward the silver-haired boy, arms outstretched, seeking comfort.

A girl.

Rushing toward him.

Arms outstretched.

It didn't take any thought; it was second nature. Catching Machi's head firmly between his hands, Yuki forcefully stopped the girl in her tracks, his eyes wide with fear and apprehension, his breath slightly irregular.

"Ah…" Yuki silently cursed in his head as he frantically searched for some excuse for his odd behavior. Only, it wasn't odd; it was perfectly normal behavior for him…or at least, the him that had been cursed…

But now? Now that 'second nature' only proved a hindrance to his recently acquired 'normal' life.

Machi caught her breath, slowly pulling back, her eyes glued to the dirt.

"Machi, I--"

"Don't." Machi interrupted softly, taking in a deep breath. "Just don't. I get it…I understand."

"Please, Machi…just let me--"

"I don't want to hear it!" Machi snapped, turning to go. Yuki felt his jaw tighten as his stomach clenched; the words he'd left unsaid dug painfully in his throat. He wasn't going to let this happen…whatever the consequences, this time he wasn't going to hide. Not behind a mask, not behind silence…

It took some effort, but the violet-eyed boy managed to unhinge his jaw as he grabbed Machi's forearm.

"Please. Just, let me explain." Yuki demanded softly. Machi paused, uncertain, wavering. Instead of waiting for permission to go ahead, Yuki forced himself to speak. Once he'd started, the words poured forth with increasing ease. The feeling was liberating.

"There's been a lot going on lately…a lot of family stuff. My life's been changed drastically ever since…" Yuki paused; even now, he couldn't speak about the curse. His throat naturally constricted, preventing the words from escaping. Shaking his head, Yuki continued. "I'm trying to figure a lot of things out…who I am, what I want--"

"Well, you've figured out you don't want me, apparently." Machi nearly sneered through clenched teeth. Yuki paused, the pain in her voice nearly silencing him.

"That isn't true…" Yuki spoke clearly, concisely. The control he held over his emotions surprised even him. "I'm not certain what I want, Machi…" Here he hesitated, not certain how he should phrase his next thought. Suddenly sick of caring, Yuki frowned, and almost absent-mindedly slipped into a character not his own…a character he'd often dealt with, sometimes admired, and now mimicked, hoping the brusqueness would ease the pain for both of them. Hadn't he heard it said, sooner done, sooner healed? What was the use, breaking it off slowly, carefully?

"I might want you. I might not. I don't know, and right now I don't really care. Since it's not fair to ask you to wait around while I decide--"

"I wasn't going to." Machi interrupted, wrenching her arm from the silver-haired boy's grasp. Without another word, she disappeared into the forest. Yuki watched her go, bitterness eating at his heart.

Well, at least he knew she was as strong as he'd thought.

Still…

That hadn't gone the way he'd planned at all.

But what did he expect by imitating the Cat?

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

She wasn't crying like he thought she would. Instead, she stood there, with an odd look on her face. It was a mixture of peace, relief, agreement, and…well, content.

In short, it wasn't at all what Kyo had expected.

He would have tugged on her hair, demanding to know if she'd understood him correctly, but since he'd explained things so thoroughly, he knew even she couldn't have misunderstood.

"Kyo-kun, I'm glad." She stated simply, looking up at him with those expressive dark eyes he'd come to know so well.

'Really…' Kyo thought to himself sarcastically. 'Anyone who saw your face would know that instantly.'

"I had been worried…because you had been acting distant lately…I wondered what was worrying _you_." The small, genuine smile never left her face. "I thought at first that you had begun to think I didn't like you…I do like you, Kyo-kun…a lot! Just, um…just not in the way that things were going…." Blushing, Tohru cleared her throat. "But I'm relieved to find that you were only trying to think of a way to tell me you didn't care for me in that way!" Her smile grew, her eyes shone. "Because now everything is perfect!"

"Yeah…" Kyo grunted, relieved but slightly put out. He'd liked Tohru; he really had. But after the curse had broken, so much confused him…he needed space and time to figure out what was going on. Ironically, it was only after the curse had broken that Kyo realized he'd be able to sort out his hither-to confusing life…sort of like how the real repairs can only occur after the storm has passed…Tohru would only fuss and worry about him when he needed it the least…he'd have to explain things to her that he'd rather not speak aloud…

A sudden blush overtook his face as he thought of just how many things he'd rather not say aloud…

Tohru was oblivious, too caught up in her own happiness. And Kyo didn't blame her…hadn't she paid him enough attention these past few years?

"I knew that you weren't really, truly upset or anything because you weren't yelling." Tohru stated, smiling. "When something really gets to you, you go into such a passion--I was surprised, but strangely happy to hear you tell me in such a calm manner!"

That wasn't what he'd been going for.

He'd accidentally stumbled onto the scene of Yuki, that damned Prince of a Rat, gently and gracefully declining the attentions of a girl multiple times. He knew the damned Rat's speech by heart. He'd figured it would come into use now…and it had…but it hadn't come across the way he'd meant it.

Running an agitated hand through his vibrant orange hair, Kyo blew his bangs out of his eyes and shook his head. Whenever Yuki rejected a girl, it seemed as though he was truly sorry and regretted having hurt her. When Kyo said it? It meant he didn't really even care…Go figure.

Why the hell had he tried to act like the damn Rat, anyway?

"I, uh, actually promised Momiji that I'd meet him soon." Tohru broke through Kyo's musings, her eyes inquiring.

"Uh? Oh. Yeah. Go ahead; I don't have anything else to say." Kyo nodded, smiling gently in spite of himself. He patted her head before watching her bounce off to meet his over-energetic blonde cousin.

Then, becoming lost in his own thoughts, Kyo meandered up to the roof.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Yuki had come back to the house only as night fell, having spent the day restlessly wandering around the town. He hadn't come any closer to figuring out this new, strange, curse-less life he now led.

Taking off his shoes as he entered, Yuki was slightly surprised to find the house seemingly empty, except for a black-and-white haired boy, sitting on the couch, looking murderously at the television before him.

"Haru--?" Yuki began, stepping toward the younger teen and sighing inwardly. When would he stop being surprised at finding the Ox in his house? ...and where was Rin?

"Why didn't you tell me you wouldn't be home today, Love?" Haru interrupted venomously, still intently watching the blank screen of the television.

"I didn't know you'd come looking for me…" Yuki answered slightly peevishly; why should he have to tell the Ox where he was going anyway?

The black-and-white haired boy didn't answer. Insecurity combined with guilt grew in Yuki, and before he knew it, the silver-haired boy was walking toward his cousin, determined to find out and apologize for whatever had insulted the younger one.

"Haru, wha--" Yuki gasped as the younger teen grabbed his arm and pulled him close, smothering his inquiry with a kiss. Feeling the last of his patience snap, the violet-eyed boy pushed his cousin away with all his might…

But, to his surprise, Haru barely budged. Instead, the Ox snickered into Yuki's now open-with-shock mouth. Haru skillfully maneuvered his lighter, albeit older, cousin into a more reclined position, deepening the kiss and running his tongue playfully over the crevices of Yuki's mouth. Struggling in vain, the silver-haired boy tried once more to force his cousin off, but with no results. Changing tactics, Yuki wriggled desperately, trying to loosen the black-and-white haired boy's grasp on him. As a result, his left leg rubbed against the younger teen's crotch, earning the violet-eyed boy an erotic groan. Pulling away slightly, Haru smirked.

"You're good at this, Love…" He murmured, brushing his lips teasingly against the other boy's earlobe. The rush of hot breath against his skin caused Yuki to shudder. Haru chuckled, running his hands down Yuki's lightly toned abdomen, before lightly brushing his hands against the other's groin.

Memories Yuki had viciously been recounting moments before entering the house now sprang up fresh and painful in his mind. His thoughts were no longer harried and confused; he allowed his body to move on its own, performing the act he'd spent his whole life perfecting.

"Haru…" Yuki panted, turning his head and searching for his cousin's red lips. Catching them full on, the smaller teen nibbled and bit his way into the other's mouth, running his hands up the surprised boy's shirt, moaning deliciously into the black-and-white haired boy's body. When he felt the younger teen relaxing his grip, the silver-haired boy kneed his cousin in the abdomen with all his might.

Taken off guard, Haru froze momentarily. With his body still acting on its own, Yuki shoved his cousin off of his lean frame and onto the floor. Standing up and putting a fair distance in between himself and his dazed cousin, Yuki felt his face fall into the old familiar mask that had earned him his reputation as the Ice Prince.

"I've been patient enough with you all those years we shared the Curse of the Zodiac…" Yuki's voice filled the room, soft but deadly and cold, like a deceptively silent blizzard. "But there is nothing that binds us together anymore…and I am sick of looking at you. I never, ever want to see your face again Hatsuharu. Do you understand me?"

One glance at his cousin told Haru all he needed to know. The solid mask had fallen over the silver-haired boy's angel face; violet eyes were pools of poison, white skin looked hard as marble, silver hair gleamed like shards of ice.

Slamming his fist into the coffee table, Haru didn't answer, but stood slowly and walked out of the house.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Kyo jumped slightly at the sound of a table breaking. He'd dazed off on the roof, having spent most of the day up there, and now wondered vaguely who was inside the house breaking things. A second passed, and his rage built. Whoever it was, was going to own up to it…there was no way in hell he was going to let Shigure and the others blame another broken item on him!

Leaping up and stalking silently over to the edge of the roof, Kyo paused as the front door opened and Hatsuharu stormed out of the house.

"Yo." Kyo growled, attracting his younger cousin's attention. Haru only graced him with a moment's glance, however, before continuing on his way. Normally, Kyo would've jumped from the roof and demanded Haru answer him. Normally, Kyo would have been itching to punch the Ox's face into a bloody mess. However, the black-and-white haired boy had held a look in his eye that froze Kyo's heart.

But only momentarily.

Within seconds, white-hot rage seared through the crimson-eyed teen's body. White-hot rage spurred by what he'd spent the afternoon brooding over; white-hot rage strengthened by the familiar look he'd seen in Haru's eyes. White-hot rage developed especially for a certain damn Prince of the Rats…

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Yuki had collapsed on the couch moments after Haru had left. He was trembling, and he knew it. Why was he so weak? What had happened? His pale, slender hands shook in front of him, taunting him, reminding him. His heart was racing faster than it had in years.

That had been too close…the silver-haired boy shut his eyes tightly…it had been far too close. He couldn't seem to wipe away the memories he'd shared with a certain…

SLAM!!!

Startled, Yuki's eyes flew open as he leapt gracefully to his feet, head snapping in the direction of the front door.

Burning crimson eyes pierced his own violet gaze.

Kyo bit back a snarl as the boy before him disappeared once more behind that damned solid mask. He hadn't come to fight; he'd promised himself long ago that he wouldn't let himself be controlled so easily…he'd vowed to himself that he'd never succumb to artful manipulations of his too-ready emotions…maybe he'd slipped up a few times before…maybe he'd let his emotions be yanked around and toyed with before…but not tonight. Tonight, he would meet mask with mask. He'd be controlled…strong…he'd kill with indifference and apathy…

He'd _make_ him understand how it felt to be nothing.

But crimson eyes went blind with rage as the Cat found himself once more staring into the frozen face of his cousin. Before he could think, before he could even take another breath, Kyo launched forward, lashing out at Yuki, his form perfect, his leg full of energy. By instinct, he gave it his all…nothing less would faze the silver-haired Ice Prince…

Yuki felt blood dripping down his lip and belatedly opened his mouth, wincing as his teeth broke free of his flesh. He'd been sent back several feet, sprawled on the floor, arms still raised in a basic block--instinct had saved him from broken ribs. Raising his eyes to meet the incredulous crimson gaze above him, Yuki moved a trembling hand to his lip and wiped away what blood he could.

"You…" Kyo stuttered, eyes widened in surprise.

"I…" Yuki spoke painfully, slowly moving to get up. "I have nothing to say to you. I'm going to bed."

Surprise fled from Kyo's face, scorched off by the white-hot rage that replaced it.

"Who do you think you ARE?! How can you SLEEP at night?!" The words tore through the guard Kyo thought he'd erected over his emotions. His silver-haired cousin paused, but Kyo didn't allow him to speak, the memories he'd brooded over coming, unbidden, fresh to his mind, spurring him on. "WHY DO YOU ALWAYS HAVE TO TOY WITH PEOPLE?! WHY CAN'T YOU JUST--?!"

"IT ISN'T ANY OF YOUR DAMN BUSINESS!" Searing pain ripped through Yuki's lips, but he was too enraged to care.

Kyo's fist made contact before either boy knew what was going on. Yuki instinctively blocked again, but was still shoved against the wall from the force of the blow.

Once again Kyo froze, dubious, his eyes wide. Yuki could feel his mask falling…he could feel the smarting sensation behind the bridge of his nose and at the corners of his eyes. Why was it that Kyo could do this to him so easily?

Keeping his head turned toward the wall, Yuki hid behind the cover of his bangs as hot tears slid down his cheeks.

Infuriated at the silence, Kyo could feel his throat constricting, preparing yet another tirade. Forcing himself to keep his voice down, Kyo allowed himself to speak.

"…Haru really cares for you, you damn Rat. He might be lecherous at times, but he CARES for you…" Stepping calmly closer to the silver-haired boy, Kyo leaned down to whisper in his cousin's ear. "I don't know why I'm bothering to explain this, though…it's not like the Ice Prince would know _anything_ about caring for someone. After all, you're the perfect ice angel, right? Pretty to look at, deceivingly gentle, but hiding a dark abyss of emptiness…you're heartless, aren't you?" Grabbing Yuki's chin, Kyo forced the silver-haired boy to look at him.

He'd forgotten, as he always did, just how much power those violet eyes had over him. Swallowing hard, Kyo willed himself not to remember the last time he'd gazed into those eyes without having to worry about blocking the next punch…

'Because even when we hated each other,' Kyo thought bitterly, 'The damn Rat had to tease me any chance he got…'


	2. Accident

_italics = flashbacks_

/-/ = change of pov

~*~*~*~ = scene change

_**~Hidden Addiction~**_

_**:Accident:**_

Kyo stood there, lost in the violet gaze of his cousin, as memories rushed through is head…

_Leaning cockily against the windowsill, arching his slender body so subtly, so attractively, that damned cold smile playing upon those perfect lips…he mesmerized me, even as insults flowed forth…_

_Toying with the girl who'd hugged me, acting like they shared something--something I wasn't welcome to join…smacking me across the face, the corners of his soft lips curving up in another, slightly seductive, cold smile…his arm pulling me closer, his face inches from mine…before mercilessly sending me flying…_

_Searching for Tohru, his eyes teasing me, drawing out our walk together, shifting unnecessarily close to me every time someone passed us on the sidewalk…his smell, confusing me…_

_Coming to corner me at school, seeking me out alone, testing my resolve so many times as he carelessly teased and toyed with my emotions…I could see it in his eyes; waiting, wanting me to fly off into another passion…amusing him…like a toy…_

_Cryptic words that drove me crazy, lingering gazes, borderline flirtatious 'insults'…he knew exactly how to tease me…_

He could feel their breath mingling, feel the strong pull drawing him toward the soft, supple lips of his cousin…even marred by blood, Kyo didn't doubt that the taste of Yuki's lips would be ecstasy…it'd been so many years since he'd enjoyed--

But no. No, it wasn't going to happen. He was through with this.

Shutting his eyes and pulling back, Kyo let go of his cousin's face.

"…Get to bed, damn Rat. You look like you need it."

He didn't open his eyes until the last of his cousin's footsteps faded into silence.

_~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*_

Yuki hesitantly stepped forward, his brow furrowed. He hadn't been here in so long…what if he was refused help? What if there was nothing that could be done?

Wavering at the door, Yuki nearly jumped when a familiar voice called out to him.

"Yuki?"

Kazuma Sohma looked slightly surprised at first, but his face melted into a fatherly sort of smile.

"Good morning, Shihan…" Yuki greeted his former teacher, suddenly feeling sheepish.

"Good morning…would you like to come in?" Sliding the door to the dojo open further, Kazuma gestured the silver-haired boy in.

Yuki obliged, taking off his shoes and sitting before the easy-going man.

"Tea?" Kazuma offered.

"Er…no, thank you." Yuki declined, distinctly remembering the kindly man's previous attempts at cooking. "I actually have a favor to ask, Shihan."

"Yes?" Kazuma inquired, raising an eyebrow.

Yuki paused, suddenly nervous.

"Kyo isn't around." Kazuma commented off-handedly, a small smile on his face. "In truth, I haven't much left to teach him, and he doesn't seem to enjoy the new company the dojo has been receiving."

"New company…?"

"I believe you are acquainted with Saki Hanajima?"

"Er…yes…I am."

"Well, she's been coming around quite often to keep me company…" Kazuma laughed nervously, a slight blush coloring his cheeks, a hand running through his hair. "Kyo had been getting increasingly restless before, and now he's hardly ever around the dojo…I miss him…" The last phrase was said softly, almost to himself, and Yuki felt a twinge of sympathy as the kindly man's eyes softened in sadness.

"Shihan…"

"But you said you had a favor to ask, Yuki?" Kazuma interrupted, a smile sliding easily back onto his face.

"…I want to continue my training."

"But I've already taught you all the way through black belt." Kazuma pointed out, confused.

"I know, but since recent conditions have…changed…" Yuki faltered, trying to figure out how best to sum up his situation. Gritting his teeth, he decided just to be blunt. "I'm weak. I…I'm weaker than Haru…I don't know what's going on; I guess since the curse broke, I'm just plain old me, and seeing as how my frame is so…" Yuki paused again, unwilling to admit what he knew.

"Frail?" Kazuma suggested gently. "I see. I understand…well, I'll see what I can do. My schedule has become much more busy, now that summer is here and all the students are hyped for martial arts tournaments and such…something about the summer sun and air makes people want to move about and fight." Kazuma smiled. "But don't worry; I'll figure out something. You are, after all, part of the family."

"Thanks, Shihan…" Yuki sighed in relief.

_~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*_

"Kyo…"

The orange-haired boy turned to his adopted father-figure, face impassive, waiting. Kazuma smiled.

"I have a deal to make with you."Intrigued, Kyo sat down in front of his Shishou, waiting patiently for his mentor to continue.

"I've decided to go ahead and pull some strings at the dojo you wanted to go to…" Kazuma held up a hand against Kyo's forthcoming protest. "I know you wanted to do this on your own, but I'm only calling as a reference, alright? It isn't easy to get a job overseas, and a reference will boost your chances drastically."

Kyo sighed, silently agreeing. Even though he wasn't going to be working for two anymore, since he'd broken it off with Tohru, he figured a secure job would be a bonus...still, he was suspicious about the 'favor' Kazuma kept referring to; his Shishou seemed pretty determined that Kyo agree to do it before revealing what exactly the favor was.

"Yeah, I'll do it already; just tell me what it is."

Kazuma smiled, and Kyo hated the way he knew that's exactly why he'd agreed to do the favor…

"I need you to help me out at my dojo; the enrollment this summer is unusually high."

"No problem." Kyo shrugged, still slightly suspicious, but also greatly relieved. He could handle kids, as long as he was permitted to show them who was boss…

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

It was a huge problem.

Kyo nearly fell over as he entered the private practice room of the dojo. Kazuma had told Kyo to handle a student who was 'in a class all his own'--Kazuma would handle the rest of the students.

Kids, he could handle. Teenagers, even. But this? No. He turned back to the door, away from the equally incredulous gaze he'd just encountered, and opened his mouth to protest. Kazuma shook his head and smiled, pleading with Kyo to cooperate. Kyo closed his mouth, shut his eyes, and took a deep breath. There was no way he could convince Kazuma to let him off the hook. There really wasn't any reason to hate Yuki now that the curse was broken, Kazuma would argue. This would give the two rivals a chance to become friends, Kazuma would insist. Kyo turned his back on his father-figure, knowing that there were some things he could never bring himself to tell the kindly mentor. Locking gazes with violet orbs, Kyo knew this was one of them. He wouldn't be able to explain why working with Yuki in the dojo would be near impossible…

He'd been prepared to teach kids…teenagers…even old, crippled adults he'd have taught without much of a problem.

He hadn't prepared to teach…_him_. Kyo didn't even know what to call him anymore…

Yuki held his gaze, neither of them speaking until they heard the door close behind them. Even then, a few moments of silence passed between the two teens as they faced off alone.

"Well then…" Kyo broke the silence, glaring slightly. "No accidents this time?"

Yuki merely raised an eyebrow, lifting one shoulder in an elegant shrug.

"That's for you to decide, stupid, graceless Cat."

Kyo paused, giving a curt nod before raising his guard.

"Show me what you've got."

Yuki hesitated.

"…Do we really have to spar? You already _know _everything I know…after all the times we've fought, we could probably spar in our sleep."

Kyo smirked.

"Frightened, little mouse? Now that your additional strength has left, are you afraid to see just how weak you are?"

Yuki didn't answer, but slowly raised his own guard.

"When do we begin?" The silver-haired teen asked quietly.

"Now." Kyo replied, advancing.

_I had only seen him twice before…when I'd carelessly left the Banquet at New Year's, and when I'd tried to return his lost hat…_

_Neither occasion had been reassuring. _

_Now, Shihan had paired us up to spar…_

_Even though I'd recently joined the dojo as a regular student, I barely ever saw him. He was adept at avoiding me, and I wasn't looking for another opportunity to be heatedly glared at by hate-filled crimson eyes. _

_But here I was, waiting for the signal to start, trying my best not to be intimidated by that burning, crimson gaze…trying not to get distracted by that enticing orange hair…trying not to lose my small store of confidence simply because his very presence overwhelmed me…_

_I'd heard people talking about how Shihan had adopted Kyo…saw how much Kyo cared for his new-found father figure…saw crimson eyes flare whenever Shihan praised me for learning so quickly what Kyo had spent a few years working on. How could I have gotten on his level so quickly? If I'd slowed down, I wouldn't have to be sparring with the Cat now…I'd be back sparring with Haru, or even Momiji…though the blonde boy wasn't really interested in the martial arts._

'_But neither am I…' The thought rang through my head. 'So why am I here?' _

_The answer was simple. I was here because I was expected to be. That's all I was; a compilation of the expectations of other people…_

_/-/_

_He was trembling…actually shaking…his violet eyes were unreadable, unfathomable, but I hardly cared. Before me stood someone who I had every right to hate, to detest, and honestly I was going to enjoy beating him today. So he was a fast learner; Shishou had been teaching me much longer! The silver-haired boy before me was frail; really, this wasn't a fair match…the thought bothered me a bit, but Shishou had set up the match, and so I didn't really have a choice. Besides, all we were doing was sparring…supposedly, anyway. I could feel myself itching for a real fight._

_I felt my eyes narrow; Yuki was someone I should hate…so why was I so intrigued? Why did I have some sort of twisted desire for him? Why did I want him? Want to toy with him, want to chase him, want to know everything about him? I shook my head; I was curious about everything, though I seldom showed it…but with Yuki it was different…curiosity pulled more enticingly with him than it had ever before…_

_These thoughts didn't matter, though. Shoving them aside, I felt a small smile tug at my lips as I once more entered into the sparring mindset. I twisted the smile into a scowl; smiling would give off the wrong impression…there was no way I'd smile at the Rat…_

_/-/_

_The signal to begin rang through the dojo, and I jumped. Nerves shot through my whole body as Kyo came toward me; never before had I felt so disconnected with my body; so paralyzed and helpless…well, almost never before…_

_My mind registered clearly that the crimson-eyed boy was reaching out to grab hold of my arm and throw me, but my body was still frozen…instinct, the Curse, I don't know what it was, but something yanked me out of my bodily daze, and so I managed some semblance of a block, but…_

_/-/_

_I'd decided just to throw him and finish the match quickly; who was he, that I should waste my time on him? Really, this whole match was ridiculous--the frail violet-eyed boy was way below my league. _

_But his movements surprised me, especially because the block he attempted was so poorly executed….even worse than what I'd expected…it almost seemed as if he'd had no training at all…_

_As a result, I missed his arm; instead, my hand slipped past his poor guard and ran down the left side of his torso, stopping at his slender hips. Surprised, I stumbled forward, slamming into him and knocking us both to the ground. Without even thinking, I stretched both hands out, catching myself…but ending up on top of my cousin, hands on either side of his head, my face inches from his, staring wide-eyed into large, violet pools…_

_The sensation of our mingling breath sent thrills down my spine…shifting slightly out of nerves, I accidentally leaned even further toward my cousin's face, brushing his lips ever so lightly with mine, my knee grazing against some unknown part of his body out of my sight. Yuki's eyes widened further, a small shudder enveloping his slender body, the smallest, sweetest sound escaping from his supple lips._

_I wanted to incite that reaction again._

_I wanted it so badly, it scared me._

_Scrambling off of the silver-haired boy, I backed away and ran._

They'd exchanged a few sound punches and kicks, neither willing to back down. Yuki's face had hardened into a mask of determination, but Kyo saw his opening and took it.

Yuki had grabbed his arm, pulling him close and, Kyo felt, teasing him--like he'd done so many times in the past. Before the violet-eyed boy could finish with his usual kick, however, Kyo slid his free hand down the right side of Yuki's torso, lingering at the waistband of his jeans, locking gazes with his cousin, letting his crimson eyes smolder.

The silver-haired boy felt his breath catch in his throat as he faltered before, almost instinctually, he leaned forward and kissed the orange-haired teen before him.

No thoughts passed through their minds as they kissed; Yuki let go of Kyo's hand, knowing the crimson-eyed boy would grab both of the smaller teens wrists, pressing them, along with the rest of his slender body, against the wall of the dojo. Familiar patterns of teasing, nipping, and biting overtook them, the heat, the pressure, overtaking every fiber of their beings.

Kyo slowly pulled his cousin away from the wall, his hands running over the slender teen's body, teasing all the silver-haired boy's most sensitive spots…actions he performed by memory…before he tugged impatiently at his cousin's jeans.

Yuki abruptly pulled away, gasping for air. His eyes were wide with an unreadable mixture of feelings, thoughts racing through his head. Feeling a certain crimson gaze roam his expression searchingly, impatiently, Yuki covered his face with both hands and backed away before bumping into the wall. Bracing his back against it, Yuki slid to the ground, breathing heavily.

"You…you're the one who said, 'no accidents'…" His voice was small, quiet.

Kyo ran a hand through his hair.

"It wasn't an accident…"

Yuki found himself studying his cousin's face incredulously, despite his recent vow not to risk further temptation.

"It was more…a test." Kyo finished, locking gazes with the Rat.

Yuki nodded curtly.

They understood only this:

It had stemmed from an accident.

It had continued against reason.

It had stopped abruptly…

But it hadn't ended.

It was still there.

Their hidden addiction.


	3. Testing

_It may be a bit confusing as to when, exactly, this story takes place; my idea is, it's the summer after highschool graduation, and it starts deviating from the manga plot pretty much right after the 22nd book...maybe a tad bit sooner. Hope that's helpful..._

_On with the story, then, shall we?_

_Italics = flashbacks_

/-/ = change of pov

~*~*~*~*~*~*~ = scene change

'What?' = thought (just in case that wasn't clear before...)

"What?" = spoken aloud (duh...)

And I don't own anything.

_**~Hidden Addiction~**_

_**:Testing:**_

"You coming or what, Rat?"

Yuki glanced up from his desk. Kyo stood at the entrance of the bedroom, leaning cockily against the doorframe, a rather condescending look on his face. They'd kept up the evasion game the past few days, the awkwardness between them spiking since their first session at the dojo. Kyo had ended the lesson after the sparring match, and they hadn't interacted since.

"Nn…I'm not certain I want to continue the lessons. I won't have any use for them at college, after all." Yuki answered, nibbling on the pen cap in his mouth.

At this, Kyo smirked.

"…_What_?" Yuki demanded in spite of himself, eyebrows furrowing as his teeth clenched down on the plastic cap.

"Nothing…" Kyo snickered. "Just…you're seriously gonna let Haru and me kick your ass around for the rest of the summer? Only to go to college in the fall and find yourself at the mercy of all those promiscuous college men?"

Yuki fought the faint blush he knew had crept across his high cheek-bones.

"I don't see how it's any of your business."

"Fine, fine…" Kyo shrugged, turning to go before pausing. "I suppose I should thank you, though…"

"For what?" Yuki snapped.

"For the shit-load of fun I'm gonna have with you this summer. Pay-back for all those times you kicked my ass under the curse. It's gonna be great." Kyo smirked.

"I don't see how letting you torture me in that so-called dojo of yours would be any better!" Yuki muttered, tossing his pen down in irritation.

"It wouldn't be much better at first…" Kyo admitted, turning to once again look at his cousin. "But despite what you may think, I have principles; if I'm supposed to teach someone, I will. You'd be building your strength back up, and eventually I wouldn't be able to kick the shit out of you as easily as I can now."

"Who so determined to train me?" Yuki asked, standing up and crossing his arms, an eyebrow quirked at his crimson-eyed cousin.

"Not so eager to train you…" Kyo hesitated before grinning wickedly. "Just eager to point out an oversight the supposedly brilliant Rat made…besides, it's my job to train you, and like I said; I've got my principles."

"More like some sort of deal with Shihan…" Yuki muttered, eyes narrowing. "_You _could never have principles…"

"Whatever you say, Rat…" Kyo turned away once more. "Last chance; are you coming or not?"

"I might as well, since your whole tirade has completely destroyed any chance I had of concentrating on what I was doing here." Yuki snapped his notebook shut, capped his pen, and shoved both items into his desk drawer before slinging his pack over one shoulder and heading toward his cousin.

"Irritated about something?" Kyo quipped, heading down the stairs toward the front door.

"Shut up." Yuki snarled.

"What were you working on, anyway?"

"…Don't try and get chummy, Cat; we're not going there."

"Who's going where?" Kyo countered, flustered in spite of himself. Yuki shot him a look, his delicate eyebrow raised, and Kyo snapped his mouth shut, silently admitting temporary defeat.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

They didn't speak again until the dojo was in sight.

"So now that I know what's lacking in your skills…" Kyo began, smirking. Yuki winced in spite of himself; how he'd ended up agreeing to be in a situation where Kyo was master over him, he'd never know. "We'll work on those."

"Really? I thought we'd start off working on what I'm outstandingly good at." Yuki commented sarcastically.

"Sassing the master can earn you unpleasant punishments." Kyo countered pleasantly, not skipping a beat and thoroughly enjoying himself. Yuki bit back another comment, gritting his teeth.

"So as I was saying," The orange-haired teen continued on. "We'll focus on strength and reflexes. Your reflexes are okay, but you tend to default with pretty basic counters when you feel overwhelmed by an attack…we need to get you to a level where you're countering with a block-attack counter, instead of a simple block. As for strength-training…" Kyo smirked at his cousin. "The reason for that is pretty self-explanatory…"

"Ha, ha, ha…" Yuki mumbled to himself, refusing to look at his cousin.

"What was--?" Kyo began, before stopping abruptly. Yuki had fallen behind his taller comrade, and almost crashed into the crimson-eyed teen before he noticed Kyo had stopped moving.

"Dammit…" The Cat cursed under his breath, crimson eyes growing wild. "Why is _she _here?"

Following his gaze, Yuki caught sight of Saki Hanajima, who was laughing with Kazuma over something. Her dark eyes flickered over to where the two cousins stood.

"Shit." Kyo hissed, ducking around the wall and dragging Yuki with him.

"Scared much?" Yuki commented sarcastically.

"Shut up." Kyo snarled, leading the smaller teen through another mess of corridors. Sliding open a door, Kyo waited until Yuki entered the private training room before following the violet-eyed boy in and sliding the door shut soundly behind them.

"…I know you think of Shihan as a father, but don't you think you might be over-reacting just a bit?" Yuki inquired, raising an eyebrow and crossing his arms. "He seems happy enough…"

"Once that door has closed," Kyo didn't bother looking at his cousin as he jerked a thumb toward the sliding door. "We're not bitter enemies, rivals, cousins, or whatever it is we are outside of the dojo. We're master and student. That's it." Crouching by his bag, Kyo unzipped it and rummaged around, searching for various training items.

"Fine. I'm going to go change." Yuki opened his own bag and pulled out a pair of loose slacks and a crew-cut shirt, white with red embroidery.

"Why didn't you just come in the clothes you were going to train in?" Kyo demanded impatiently, placing a few weights and his water bottle along the side of the room.

"Because I don't want to walk home in a sweat-drenched outfit…" Yuki replied caustically, heading for the sliding door.

"That would be too un-princely, huh?" Kyo snorted.

"I'm surprised someone like you could figure that out." Yuki shot back, sliding the door open.

"Just a second," Kyo demanded. Yuki paused, glaring over his shoulder.

"What?"

"You may want to change clothes due to some sort of pansy-principles, but you're not gonna waste more than a few seconds of my time doing it. If you _have _to change, you're gonna have to do it _here_. No wandering the corridors and running into people who'll distract you. We both know how easily distracted you can get."

"Ha, ha." Yuki laughed humorlessly, before Kyo reached out and forced the sliding door shut. The violet-eyed teen stared blankly at the wood before his eyes, overly aware of the lanky, toned body behind him.

"I mean it." Kyo's breath rushed against the back of the paler boy's neck, and Yuki fought back a shiver. He didn't move until he felt his cousin back away.

"If you're gonna change, get on with it. If not, we'll get started." Kyo called out calmly, sitting down by the wall and casually taking a drink from his water bottle.

Wordlessly, Yuki pulled his shirt off over his head, continuing to strip down to his boxers. He avoided eye-contact with his cousin at all costs. Slipping the loose slacks he'd brought over his boxers and fastening them, he felt himself stiffen as a muffled snicker caught his ears.

"_What_?!" The silver-haired teen snapped, hiding a faint blush in the folds of the crew-cut shirt he was pulling over his head.

"You brought _designer _clothes to train in?" Kyo raised his eyebrows, looking his cousin up and down incredulously.

"They're not designer clothes, stupid Cat…" Yuki sneered. "They're old and flexible. They'll do."

"Mmm…" Kyo shook his head. "In the future, you'll bring a t-shirt--a plain t-shirt; none of this embroidery and design--and a pair of normal pants…sweatpants, whatever, but not dress slacks that are only a tad looser than what you usually wear. What'd you think this place is, karate for models? No one's gonna expect you to look like a prince here." Kyo gracefully pulled himself into a standing position.

"Not even an Ice Prince?" Yuki asked, giving Kyo a frozen smile.

"You're to answer, 'Yes, Master' to pretty much everything I say." Kyo ignored the question and began stretching.

"Like hell I will!" Yuki retorted, his features twisting into a cold, condescending glare.

Within seconds, the silver-haired boy was sprawled on the floor, tenderly massaging his jaw.

"Try again." Kyo commanded dryly.

"Dammit…" Yuki hissed, glaring up at his crimson-eyed cousin.

"Not so pleasant, is it?" Kyo asked, hands in his pocket, staring pointedly at the wooden floor. "It isn't all that great to find that you're at the bottom of the chain, eh? Under the mercy of the person you detest the most? Without any real reason…no real reason whatsoever…just the knowledge that you're totally under his mercy?"

"I didn't come here to learn your stupid life lessons." Yuki reminded his cousin coldly, rising to his feet.

"Pity." Kyo replied, shrugging. "Start stretching, then." Turning his crimson gaze to his cousin, Kyo waited expectantly, flexing his fists in a relatively threatening manner.

"Yes, master…" Yuki retorted sarcastically, giving the orange-haired teen a mocking bow.

"Watch yourself, Rat…I won't hold back on you." Kyo warned. Reclining once more, he picked up a set of weights and began his regular workout.

Biting back a reply, Yuki turned away from the crimson-eyed teen and dutifully began stretching. He sighed inaudibly as he felt the previous tension in his muscles slowly melt away…it was relaxing. He bent over backward in a final stretch, and only to find all his muscles stiffen again. Momentarily frozen, Yuki found himself locked in an intense crimson gaze.

"…still as flexible as ever, I see." Kyo commented, his voice soft. Yuki felt his face flush as he pulled himself back into an upright position.

"Hn…" Yuki mumbled, rubbing the back of his neck distractedly. A glimpse of sudden motion in his peripheral vision caught his attention, and all thoughts abandoned his mind as the Rat countered the on-coming attack. Grabbing hold of his opponent's wrist, Yuki redirected the punch, ducking inside the attacker's guard and widening his stance, barely managing to keep his footing as his opponent crashed into him. Not wasting a second, Yuki placed his free hand against the attacker's neck, thumb pressed threateningly against his opponent's Adams-apple.

"Heh…"

A soft breath of a laugh blew across the startled teen's face, and Yuki felt his eyes widen slightly at the proximity of the face before him. Crimson eyes studied his face pensively, and Yuki felt the beginnings of a victorious smile tug at the edge of his lips. He fought the inclination, keeping his face impassive.

"Looks like I was wrong about your reflexes…" Kyo murmured. Yuki unconsciously lessened the pressure he was applying to the taller teen's neck. "I wonder why you were so inept last time…?" Kyo leaned forward a bit, bringing his lips to the violet-eyed boy's ear. "Was it because you had too much time to think…?"

Yuki didn't answer, but tried to pull back. A strong arm, which had somehow wound its way around his waist, tightened its hold as a dark chuckle rumbled through Kyo's body.

"Do you remember my little test…?" Kyo's voice was low, and barely audible. "Would you like to know the results…?"

"I--" Yuki breathed out, before the sound of a sliding door opening provoked another reflex in the silver-haired boy. Kneeing his crimson-eyed cousin in the diaphragm, Yuki slipped out of Kyo's loosened grasp and stepped back, giving the taller, lanky teen a sound kick in the shoulder, just to be sure.

"Damn Rat…" Kyo muttered, gripping his shoulder as he tried to catch his breath.

"A master must be patient above all else." Kazuma quipped cheerily, catching his adopted son's mumbled curse. "We came to see how the two of you were doing…it looks like you're teaching him well, Kyo. Yuki will be back to his old standard in no time." Here Kazuma turned his kindly eyes to the silver-haired boy, who stood grasping his left arm with his right hand, a slight blush spread over his high cheek-bones. "You always were a fast learner, Yuki. Keep up the good work, both of you."

Kyo hadn't missed the plural pronoun his shishou had used near the beginning of his speech. His crimson eyes turned slightly wild as he waited for the dark-featured girl he detested to show herself. As if on cue, Hanajima stepped out from behind the dojo master.

"I, too, wish to congratulate you both on jobs well done." Her dark eyes flickered over the two cousins, a small smile on her lips. "Perhaps a special dinner is in order…this weekend, perhaps? Such an improvement in your relationship is surely worthy of celebrating."

"That would be--" Kazuma began, a smile spreading across his face as he gazed happily down at the dark-featured girl beside him.

"--Completely out of the question!" Kyo interrupted venomously.

"But there will be meat. Lots of meat. Yakiniku, as well…yes, lots of yakiniku." Hanajima's eyes seemed to lose focus just a bit as her planning continued.

"Isn't she cute?" Kazuma grinned, looking warmly at the girl beside him.

"Are you kidding?! That girl is ridiculously single-minded!" Kyo snarled, shaking his head in disbelief. "It doesn't matter what kind of food there is! We're not going to some sappy dinner celebration, especially if it's put on by _you_!" Here he pointed indignantly at Hanajima.

"Kyo!" Kazuma's voice was reprimanding, but Kyo's trained ears picked up on another tone, beneath the reprimand. Hurt. Unhappiness.

'_Dammit_…' Kyo felt his fists clench. "What? It's not my fault she wants to have some stupid celebration when we're going to be gone!"

"Gone…?" Kazuma repeated, a look of fear crossing his features momentarily.

"Gone?" Yuki echoed, surprised.

"And yakisoba…" Hanajima murmured.

"Where are you going--for how long?" Kazuma inquired softly.

"We're heading into the mountains for a bit…just to train. I don't know how long exactly." Kyo answered peevishly, slightly relieved that he'd managed to come up with something that would take him away from the dojo, but annoyed at how easily he was bothered by Kazuma's unhappiness. "It all depends on how long it takes the damn Rat to get his act together."

Yuki snorted quietly.

"I see." Kazuma's eyes took on a more relieved look. "Well, we'll just have to have that special dinner when you get back."

"Hn…" Kyo murmured indistinctly.

"Well, we'll leave you to finish up then." Kazuma was all smiles again as he closed the sliding door and led a still food-obsessed Hanajima back through the corridors of the dojo.

"…Were you serious?" Yuki broke the silence, turning to quirk an eyebrow at his cousin.

"Of course I was." Kyo snapped. "There's no way in hell I'm going to a celebration dinner put on by _her_ for something as retarded as _you."_

"And because of your selfishness, I have to spend an indefinite amount of time camping in the wilderness, fighting bears and meditating under waterfalls?" Yuki demanded in a detached but disgusted voice. "How typical."

"We'll be back as soon as you master everything." Kyo retorted. "So you'd better hope your as quick a learner as Shishou thinks you are."

"…So are you more agitated over Hanajima's dinner party, or Shihan's admiration of my skill?" Yuki asked smugly, a cold smile crossing his face.

"If you don't shut up, I really am going to make you fight bears…" Kyo muttered, packing his things. "If you're gonna get changed, Prince of the Rats, you'd better do it now; lesson's over."

"You don't have to wait for me; it's not like I need you to walk me home." Yuki commented dryly, heading out of the private training room and making his way toward the dressing rooms. He wasn't about to change in front of Kyo again…

Kyo sat still for a moment, staring thoughtfully at his bag,.

The Rat had certain reflexes--reflexes that were second nature to him. That much was clear.

That meant if he wasn't flustered about the opponent he was facing, Yuki was still one hell of a martial artist…even without the added aid of the Rat spirit…

That kinda sucked.

But another such reflex…another 'second nature'…had just (seemingly, Kyo admitted to himself) covered up something they'd both kept hidden for a long time. It was a set of reflexes they'd learned, a plan they'd concocted together, to keep the world from inquiring about something they themselves couldn't explain.

If the past fifteen minutes had been any indication, Yuki still had those reflexes, too.

That was intriguing.

Kyo shook his head and stood up. Mixed feelings seemed to be the extent of his life these days…

Slinging his pack over his shoulder, he headed out of the door, punching the wall in irritation before meandering back to Shigure's house.


	4. Run

_**NB: Hey all; sorry for the long delay! As it turns out, I had unexpected demands on my time Friday and Saturday, and then Saturday night and Sunday, wouldn't let me upload documents...so I couldn't update. But enough excuses--on with the story!**_

_**~Hidden Addiction~**_

_**:Run:**_

Yuki slowly fastened the last tie on his Chinese-style shirt before reaching down to pick up his bag. Slinging it over his shoulder, he headed out of the dressing rooms.

"Good evening, Sempai!" A few voices chorused. Yuki glanced back, surprised, to find several young boys watching him with awed looks on their faces.

"Good evening…" Yuki replied, smiling his normal, detached smile. Adding a half-hearted wave, he turned once more toward the exit.

"I wanna be like that some day!" Admiration-filled voices followed the silver-haired teen out of the dressing room. "To be good enough for private lessons with Kyon-Shishou!"

Yuki winced. Why couldn't he get away from this…this _false_ admiration? It seemed to follow him wherever he went…

"Yuki!" The familiar voice made the violet-eyed teen pause out of habit; when this voice spoke, he listened--as simple as that. This voice didn't command him out of fear, as others did…this voice he was only too glad to appease.

"Shihan?" Yuki inquired, turning to face his former karate instructor.

"When are you and Kyo leaving on your trip?" The dark haired teacher asked casually, leaning against the doorpost of the dojo.

"I'm not sure. He hasn't given me any details." Yuki replied, slipping his shoes on. For some reason, he was eager to leave.

"Ah, I see…I would have asked him directly, but it seems he's already turned tail and ran off." Kazuma's clear eyes roamed the horizon, as if searching for a certain crimson-eyed teen. "Well, I see you two aren't close enough friends to walk home together yet."

A small, kindly laugh escaped the karate master's lips.

"Not yet." Yuki agreed, allowing himself his own, cynical smile.

"Tell him…" Kazuma paused, as if considering. Yuki waited, watching the older man with expectant eyes.

"Tell him…?" Yuki finally prodded when Kazuma still hesitated.

"Tell him that I still love him. That a father never stops loving his son."

"Yeah, okay…" Yuki mumbled, turning to go. Such a personal, tender message…a caustic laugh escaped Yuki's lips. There was no way he'd be able to deliver that message…not without hiding behind some sort of malicious mask, anyway.

"Take care going home, Yuki!" Kazuma called after the silver-haired boy. It took everything Yuki had to keep walking in a casual manner. He raised a hand in acknowledgment, but as soon as he was out of sight of the dojo, he broke into a run.

He hadn't gone far before he began to slow down. Running wasn't going to help him figure out all these confusing thoughts. Besides, the more he ran, the sooner he'd end up at Shigure's house…the sooner he'd have to deliver that damn message from Shihan, face his crimson-eyed cousin, and deal with everything he'd yet to figure out.

Taking a deep breath, Yuki slowly began walking again, trying to sort things out in his mind.

Kyo could physically beat him now.

That was a major problem. The Cat had always overpowered him in mere presence…the crimson-eyed teen could yank Yuki's emotions around like none other, as well…the silver-haired teen's only solace had been his mask, and the fact that he could always physically give the Cat some semblance of the hell the vibrant orange-haired teen always put him through.

Now he couldn't even do that.

Even the temporary refuge he could take under the shelter of his 'Ice Prince' façade didn't make him any less agitated inside…his cousin could make him squirm with the slightest word.

Yuki felt his jaw tighten. Kyo held all the cards now; there wasn't anything the silver-haired teen could do against his crimson-eyed cousin. Hadn't that been evident enough in the dojo? He just stood there, helplessly, trying to hold onto his thoughts, trying to keep himself from melting into the familiarly lean and lanky body in front of him.

At least he'd been able to snap out of it when he'd heard the sound of a door sliding open. He hadn't had to spend a second on thought; his body acted all on its own.

A sudden, faint blush crept up Yuki's pale cheeks. Covering his face with his hand, the violet-eyed teen frantically tried to think. He had been acting purely on instinct--habits consumed him whenever he was around Kyo. He was acting exactly as he had when they'd…stopped. Before…years before. He was acting just like he had then. Paralyzed with--with what, fear?--where before he'd welcomed the crimson-eyed boy's advancements…and then snapping back to the dance of hatred, when someone stumbled across them…someone who might report them to Akito…someone who might question what they were doing. They had no answers; they had only been children, doing what they felt compelled to do…

But they weren't children anymore. Yuki dragged an agitated hand through his hair.

Why was he still so…addicted? There was absolutely no reason for this…no reason to fear Kyo, no reason to hate him, no reason to _want_ him…the silver-haired teen had never felt so lost before. Panic enveloped him; what was he supposed to do? Just hand himself over, everything he was, and let the crimson-eyed teen do what he would? _**No**_…Yuki was slightly surprised at the vehement repulsion he felt at the thought. So what was he going to do?

Looking up in slight surprise, Yuki found himself at the door of Shigure's house.

He'd use what little he had left. The mask of the 'Ice Prince' was his last resort…his last hope. The Cat was stupid and slow; if Yuki played the game carefully, there was a chance he'd be able to keep Kyo from realizing he held all the cards…

Frantic slamming sounds caught the Rat's ears, and a faint smile crossed his pale features. Perhaps it would be easier than he'd thought…the Cat seemed to be in a particularly distracted mood. Maybe there wasn't much he could do, but Yuki was determined to keep the Cat oblivious to his power for as long as possible.

Slipping off his shoes and sliding open the front door, Yuki took in the chaos before him, almost laughing at the sight of his crimson-eyed cousin.

Kyo's bag was sitting in the middle of the floor, practically empty. Almost everything else the Cat owned, along with all the camping items in the house, lay strewn around the room.

'Well,' Yuki noted with a smirk. 'Almost all of the camping items…'

"Don't just stand there." Kyo finally took note of the silver-haired teen. "Go pack! We're leaving today, as soon as we have everything…she might try and move that stupid dinner up to tonight! There's no telling with her…"

"What about Honda-san?" Yuki asked, unperturbed, as he neatly picked his way across the room. "Does she know? It would be awfully rude to skip out on dinner and not tell her."

"She knows already! What do you think I am, an idiot?" Kyo snapped, shoving a few items into his sack, while simultaneously pulling a few items out. "She's going out to dinner with Momiji…"

"What about Shigure?" Yuki asked, leaning against the doorframe and crossing his arms.

"Huh? Shigure's eating with Akito…stop asking me questions and pack! We have to hurry!"

"I'll pack later." Yuki turned toward the stairwell. "I want to do a few things first."

"You'll pack now!" Kyo was beside the Rat in seconds, arm thrust against the wall by Yuki's head, blocking the silver-haired boy's route to the stairwell.

"_Later_, stupid Cat. This really has nothing to do with my training, anyway, so I don't really have to listen to a word you say."

"What are you talking about?!" Kyo demanded, leaning in to glare straight into his cousin's eyes.

"You're just trying to run away…as usual. The whole 'training in the mountains' excuse was just that--an excuse." Yuki locked gazes with his cousin, daring him to deny it.

"…Fine." Kyo admitted, not moving his heated gaze from his cousin's frozen glare. "You would know, wouldn't you? All about running away? There's no way I could hope to hide it from an expert."

"I don't know what you're talking about…" Yuki retorted softly, leaning closer to his cousin and letting his violet eyes freeze completely over before ducking under Kyo's outstretched arm and attempting to dash up the stairs. A strong hand grabbed his forearm, preventing his escape. Turning to face Kyo, Yuki was slightly startled to find the orange-haired teen wasn't looking at him.

"Fine…just, fine! Whatever you want to do right now, I'll do it. Just, _please_…" Kyo's voice was low--almost hoarse--with emotion, and Yuki winced as his cousin's grip on his arm tightened. "Come with me. To the mountains. Shishou…if you don't come, Shishou will suspect--he'll track me down in no time…and I can't explain…I--" Kyo's voice trailed off into nothing.

"…Very well, stupid Cat." Yuki kept his voice carefully detached. "I'll go to the stupid mountains and train…but…" A cold smile graced the silver-haired teen's face as his cousin turned to look at him. "You owe me. Big time."

"Yeah, sure, whatever." Kyo muttered, letting go of the other's arm. Despite his nonchalant reply, Yuki saw the monumental relief in his cousin's crimson eyes. Turning, the violet-eyed teen made his way up the stairs.

"So hurry up and pack…" Kyo called up the stairs after the smaller teen, recovering some of his usual character. "…and Rat?"

"What?!" Yuki called back, irritated.

"Thanks." His voice was softer, and Yuki could hear the embarrassment in it. Shaking his head, Yuki didn't respond.

Pulling out his traveling sack, Yuki carefully packed everything he could possibly need for a camping trip. It was a menial, soothing task…

Downstairs, havoc continued unmonitored, as Kyo's distracted mind attempted to make sure he packed everything he would need.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Yuki came back downstairs thirty minutes later, to find his cousin still wildly rummaging through the mess in the living room.

"Great!" Kyo stopped digging through a pile of portable cooking utensils as soon as he caught sight of the smaller teen. "Are you ready?"

Yuki nodded, shifting the bag on his shoulder to a more comfortable position.

"Let's go, then." Stuffing a few randomly selected items into the sack still sitting in the middle of the floor, Kyo zipped it shut decisively and headed to the door.

"Stupid Cat…" Yuki called out. Kyo turned, irritated.

"_Now_ what?" The crimson-eyed teen demanded. Yuki arched an eyebrow at his cousin, picked up the sack that still sat in the middle of the living room floor, and tossed it at the orange-haired boy.

"You forgot that." Yuki answered simply, before walking past his cousin and onto the trail behind the house.

"Dammit…" Kyo muttered, following the silver-haired boy.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

As they got farther away from the house and closer to the heart of the mountain range, Yuki saw the agitation on Kyo's face progressively lessen.

That wasn't good.

"Oh, I forgot to tell you…" Yuki began in an off-handed way, hoping this would immediately arouse his companion's suspicions. It did.

"What?" Kyo demanded, his face paling.

"Shihan told me to tell you he still loves you, or something like that. Something about how fathers never stop loving their sons…I wasn't paying particular attention, since the subject was so revolting, but I'm pretty sure that's the basic message."

"Oh." Kyo quickly recovered his normal coloring, exhaling a breath of relief.

"Dammit…" Yuki cursed under his breath; the message hadn't distracted the Cat at all; if anything, it had made him even more at ease. There had to be something else he could do…

"We'll stop for the night when we get to the heart of the mountain range…that's still about ten miles off, so don't slow down." Kyo sounded almost happy…

"I'm calling in the debt." Yuki announced suddenly, stopping in his tracks.

"Huh?" Kyo asked, surprised. He turned to study his cousin's face…he'd been certain the calculating Rat wouldn't have called in his debt until he'd thought about it for a while…and found something excruciatingly painful or embarrassing for him to do.

"The debt. You owe me." Yuki explained, arching an eyebrow. "…Why does this whole Hanajima-san-Shihan thing have you so worked up?"

Kyo felt himself stiffen. Leave it to the damn Rat to figure out the most painful thing to ask…it would have been bad enough if someone else had asked, but having to explain that to the _Rat_? There was no way in hell…

"If you don't tell me, I'm heading back to Shigure's right now, calling the dojo, and informing Shihan that I'm searching for another teacher…" Yuki warned softly when the crimson-eyed boy in front of him still didn't speak.

The orange-haired boy thought frantically; it wasn't like he could forcefully drag Yuki around the mountains with him--he had to get the Rat to come on his own…there had to be some way…

"You haven't really done me any favors yet, so you really don't have any debt to call in…" Kyo slowly replied, a plan forming in his head. Well, not so much a plan, as a temporary escape route. Hey; he'd take what he could.

"I'll take the answer as a down-payment, then." Yuki answered smoothly. "After all, if I'm going to spend an indefinite amount of time out here with you, the pay-off has got to be something huge. Now that I think about it--"

"_If_ I tell you the answer to that stupid question, that's all the pay-off you're getting!" Kyo snapped, swiping his hand out in a cutting motion for emphasis. "You don't agree? Fine. Go back, do whatever. I'll take my chances dodging Shishou."

Yuki paused. This reaction was much more vehement than he'd expected.

"Well, now I'm extremely curious…" Yuki smiled coldly as Kyo caught his gaze, startled. "But you have to agree, stupid Cat…I have to have some sort of guarantee…some way of knowing you'll actually tell me."

"We'll stay in the mountains for two weeks. I'll tell you after the first week." Kyo decided, turning back on the trail. "By the time the first week is over, you'll know every hiding place I have in these mountains. That should be guarantee enough."

Yuki silently agreed to the contract, following the taller teen along the mountain trail once more.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

It was after dusk when Kyo finally decided they'd reached their destination.

"Okay, Rat; you do know how to set up a campsite, right?" Kyo turned with a slight smirk to the sliver-haired teen.

"Mostly." Yuki replied tightly. True, he hadn't gone camping nearly as much as Kyo had, but the basics he'd learned under Shihan's careful tutelage. Camping had never been a favorite past-time of his, however, due to the lack of appliances…namely, an alarm clock. If he was going to be at the mercy of his crimson-eyed cousin, he would have liked to eliminate the chances of the other teen waking before he had at least a couple of hours to fully wake up himself.

"Shit." Kyo cursed simply, rummaging through his sack a second time, forehead creasing into a worried expression.

"What?" Yuki asked, looking up from the tent he'd been erecting. A small smirk tugged at the ends of his lips; had the stupid Cat figured it out yet?

"…How many tents did you bring?" Kyo muttered, taking everything out of his sack, his look of disconcertion growing every second.

"Just one, Master." Yuki quipped glibly. Kyo caught the hidden laughter and looked up, eyes smoldering.

"You knew?" The orange-haired boy asked incredulously.

"Knew what?" Yuki inquired, stepping back to admire his newly set-up tent.

"That I didn't pack a tent." Kyo answered hotly, standing up as well and crossing his arms.

"Oh, well…I didn't know for _certain_ until just now. But I admit I highly suspected."

"It never occurred to you to make sure I had?"

"I was under the impression that you were the master and I was the student. What kind of student looks after his master?" Yuki turned to face his cousin, eyes laughing coldly. "Really, I'm beginning to wonder if you're up to the task of 'shihan'."

"You seem to know a lot." Kyo replied easily, not rising to the bait. Yuki eyed his cousin suspiciously. "There's one more thing you probably know, too, isn't there?"

"Hn? What would that be?" Yuki asked carelessly, trying not to let his sudden anxiety show. Kyo was acting much too cocky…

"That we'd have to share a tent." Kyo replied softly, coming up behind his cousin and clasping his arms around the other teen's slender waist. "You knew that, didn't you? Or, did you _plan_ that…?" Kyo snickered, his breath hot against Yuki's neck. "Is _that_ why you didn't tell me?"

"…You're just coming onto me because you don't want to sleep outside in the elements." Yuki spoke softly, his voice cold.

"Am I…?" Kyo chuckled, nipping the slender teen's ear.

"You know your intentions better than I ever could!" Yuki hissed, turning his head away, trying to keep a firm grasp on his emotions. "Why ask me what you're up to?"

"…Stop acting like _I'm_ the one with ulterior motives." Kyo grumbled, letting go of his silver-haired cousin.

"What are you saying, that _I'm_ the one who's up to something?" Yuki demanded, rounding on his crimson-eyed companion.

"Aren't you? You are the calculating Rat, after all…it wouldn't be all that surprising! And _if_ you're not hiding anything up your sleeve, why do you always have to run off whenever someone gets close?" Kyo countered hotly.

"…I don't have to explain anything to you." Yuki pointed out coldly. Picking up his sack, the silver-haired teen stalked angrily into his tent, zipping the flap shut.

"_Like you ever did!_" Kyo called out, kicking the dirt with the toe of his shoe. "Damn Rat…" Muttering various curses to himself, the crimson-eyed teen unfurled his sleeping bag. What had he been thinking? Just because things had been so damnably similar to the way they'd been back then...things didn't change that easily. The Rat was still the Rat, curse or no. All Kyo was...all he'd _ever_ be to the stupid, frozen Ice Prince, was a toy. Something amusing...but in the end, something dispensable. Why did he even try to understand the silver-haired teen? It wasn't like Yuki needed him to care...snorting, the crimson-eyed teen pulled off his shoes. _Anyone_ could have told him that Yuki had plenty of people lined up to hear his problems...why should he need the Cat? In the end, it was just like before...he was a toy. That was it.

Glaring up at the sky and daring it to rain, Kyo climbed into his sleeping bag and curled up, attempting to sleep.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Yuki lay in the tent, face buried in his sleeping bag, fists curled up on either side of his head. Venomous thoughts ran through his mind.

The stupid Cat…why'd he ever agree to come into the mountains? Why did he ever agree to help the stupid Cat run away from…well, whatever it was that was bothering him?

It was bad enough when he'd simply been the stupid Cat's amusement…bad enough when the Cat would simply toy with him.

It was almost unbearable, being made into a tool.

Yuki bit his lip, smothering an enraged scream.

Why was he so weak? It wasn't like _Kyo_ needed help getting through every little obstacle...Kyo could doggedly work his way through anything...it was the _so_-_called_ spectacular Rat that needed to be reassured, needed to know someone cared, needed to please and be liked...Kyo could care less...the Cat would use whatever he had to, to get what he needed. He was independent, strong...able. He was never paralyzed or helpless. He could toy with whomever he wanted, and if things didn't work out the way he wanted, he simply shrugged his shoulders and moved on. He was so damnably _adaptable_...Yuki was exactly the opposite. He was always lost, always weak...this time was no different.

There wasn't any denying it.

It was happening all over again.

Why didn't he learn?

It was exactly like last time…

A toy, a tool…

All he wanted was to run.

Closing his eyes and willfully pushing himself toward sleep, the silver-haired boy tried not to think about what he'd do if the Cat didn't chase him.

**Well, I hope you all enjoyed that; let me know what you think in a review! I'll updat as soon as I have the next chapter written!**


	5. Rain

_WhitePhantom88: Here's another chapter--enjoy! -- And I don't own anything._

_**~Hidden Addiction~**_

_**:Rain:**_

There was one thing Kyo distinctly remembered about the mountains.

It didn't matter what time of year it was; the nights were _freezing_.

He'd anticipated that. Despite his distracted mind, he'd managed to pack his heaviest sleeping bag. He'd remembered to bring the small, iron-cast heater--he'd even filled it with burning wood the night before. He wasn't waking up due to the cold…it wasn't the light of dawn that was disturbing his sleep…opening one eye blearily, Kyo noted that the sky was only in the pre-dawn stage; a very dark, hazy sort of grey…

A drop of water landed squarely in his one open eye, and the crimson-eyed teen bit back an unmanly howl, covering his face with both hands and jerking into a sitting position.

"Dammit…damn raindrop…" Kyo muttered peevishly, cupping a hand over his irritated eye until he could open it without wincing. But the instant the orange-haired teen could see again, his surroundings were hidden under a curtain of rain.

"Why the hell are you so easily offended?!" Kyo demanded the pouring skies, scrambling out of his sleeping bag and gathering his belongings haphazardly in his already-drenched arms. Yanking at the zipper of the tent nearby, Kyo cursed under his breath as the mechanism slipped through his wet fingers. "Whose bright idea was it to make zippers so damn small?!"

The world was against him; that was the simple matter of it all.

Taking a deep breath and calming down slightly, Kyo managed to get a purchase on the zipper and gratefully opened the tent. Unceremoniously dumping his stuff onto the dry floor of the tent, Kyo crawled inside, zipped the entrance-way shut behind him, and collapsed onto the ground.

He was exhausted.

Rain, it seemed, was still his bitter enemy.

He gingerly pulled himself into a more comfortable position, feeling that small movement drain him of the very last of his strength. Sighing inaudibly, he was about to drift off to sleep again, when he caught sight of the dark eyes watching him. These eyes, like the pre-dawn skies outside, were a dark and hazy shade of grey.

"…What?" Kyo growled weakly, managing a slightly threatening glare. His cousin didn't respond, but merely shut his eyes and drifted off to sleep, his slim frame rising and falling gently. "Damn Rat…" Kyo mumbled, feeling his own consciousness slip away.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

An internal alarm clock woke the crimson-eyed teen. Groaning, the Cat stretched, jerking his hands back when his fingers brushed against a scratchy, unknown fabric. Startled, he opened his eyes, his gaze searching the canvas ceiling above him. Oh…yeah. He was camping. He attempted to sit up, but some sort of restraint on the collar of his shirt made it slightly difficult. Glancing down in slight annoyance, Kyo almost yelped at the sight of long, slender fingers entwined in the fabric of his shirt. Following the graceful curve of an extended arm with his gaze, Kyo sat still for a few seconds, watching with fascination the sleeping form of his cousin.

Gravity eventually won the battle over Yuki's grip on Kyo's shirt, and the silver-haired boy's hand fell into the crimson-eyed boy's lap, trailing along the Cat's abdomen on the way down. Fighting back a shiver, Kyo shook his head. The sleeping teen's fingers twitched, unconsciously reacting in slight agitation to the disturbing movement around him. A violent blush overtook Kyo's face as he jumped into a standing position, crashing his head into the ceiling of the rather small tent.

A small, disgruntled sound escaped Yuki's lips, and he turned over in his sleep, features screwing up into a small pout. Fighting to control his breath, Kyo stumbled out of the tent, trying to clear his head in the crisp morning air.

Glaring at the world at large, Kyo slowly tilted his face back, unconsciously basking in the early, cool light of the sun. Scanning the skies, Kyo let out an agitated sigh, blowing the vibrant orange bangs out of his face. It was fairly clear now, but thunderclouds loomed in almost every direction. Great.

He may as well start cooking breakfast before the rainstorms came again.

Turning back to the tent, Kyo stuck his head in. Leave it to the Rat, to bring the smallest tent the family owned. Pulling his still-damp sack toward him, Kyo admitted that things weren't as bad as they could be. At least he was an experienced-enough camper to have wrapped the kindling in oiled skins. Tucking the bundle of wood under his arm, the crimson-eyed teen pulled out some matches, wrapped in oiled paper, and an assortment of food. Pushing the sack further into the tent, Kyo paused as his gaze locked with his cousin's.

Dark and hazy grey eyes.

There was no way the silver-haired teen was with it yet.

"I hope you had sweet dreams," Kyo mumbled sarcastically, still annoyed about the exchange they'd had the previous night.

"Wet…" Yuki answered softly, his voice hoarse. The slight teen rubbed his face with one hand slowly; an unconscious attempt to fully wake himself. He shuffled toward the shocked crimson-eyed teen before him, seeking sunlight.

"Huh?" Kyo demanded, suddenly uncertain about the mental state of his cousin. Was he still sleeping? Kyo had never heard the Rat speak in his sleep before.

"Sweet dreams…" Yuki mumbled. He was right in front of Kyo now, dazed and hazy eyes unfocused. "Wet dreams…" Here the silver-haired teen's head slumped forward, his face resting in the crook of his cousin's neck.

"E-eh?!" Kyo fell backward in shock, managing to catch himself with outstretched arms, but altering their positions considerably.

Yuki's slender torso had landed in-between the taller teen's lean legs, and the smaller teen's face was now resting on the crimson-eyed boy's chest, soft silken hair brushing against the Cat's collar-bone. Long, slender fingers gripped the lanky, orange-haired teen's shirt loosely.

Kyo could feel his arms shaking; emotions and exhaustion were taking their toll on his strength. With his luck, another sudden downpour would soak them both in seconds.

"Wet…" Yuki spoke dazedly into Kyo's shirt, sending another involuntary shiver through the lanky teen's body as the Cat tried not to react to the sensation of the silver-haired teen's lips on his chest…why was the fabric of his shirt so damn thin?!

Lifting his face from his cousin's chest, Yuki gazed unfocusedly at the crimson-eyes before him. Tightening his grip on the Cat's shirt, Yuki tugged at it, frowning.

"Wha--?!" Kyo stuttered, bewildered at the sudden change in his icy companion's demeanor.

"Change…" Yuki commanded in a voice still rough from sleep, but somehow haughty and aristocratic. He slowly pulled himself backward, sitting on his legs and staring at his crimson-eyed cousin through the latter's still-spread-open legs. The violet-eyed teen's nose wrinkled in a delicate manner, before he pulled his sleeve over his hand and rubbed at his face. "Wet…change…dry."

Pulling at Kyo's pant leg, Yuki fixed his sleep-filled gaze haughtily on the orange-haired boy, expecting his demands to be met.

"Uh, yeah--yeah, I was going to!" Finally catching on, Kyo stood up, brushing the mud from his damp clothes and slipping past the silver-haired boy on his way back into the tent. "Damn Rat." He muttered before closing the entrance, just to reassure himself.

It wasn't his fault his mind had automatically jumped to something dirty, Kyo told himself as he pulled his shirt off. After all, Yuki hadn't been the slightest bit coherent in his demands. The stupid Rat was lucky Kyo had managed to understand what he'd wanted at all! And if the stupid Rat hadn't been pawing at him so much, it wouldn't have mattered in the slightest, whether Kyo's clothes were damp or wet or whatever! The crimson-eyed teen paused a moment, considering. Why was the Rat pawing at him so much this morning, anyway? True, Yuki wasn't anywhere near conscious yet…but still…

Forget it, Kyo told himself sternly. He was just a toy for the pretty pampered boy. That's all.

Anger flashed through the crimson-eyed boy's veins. Two could play this game.

Fastening his cargo pants, Kyo flicked the tent open and strode outside, collecting the assortment of breakfast-materials from where they'd fallen. He went to work, taking comfort in the familiar routine of cooking outdoors. As for that damn Rat…

Wait…

Where was the Rat?

Looking around, Kyo saw no trace of his silver-haired cousin.

"Great…" Kyo muttered to himself. The silver-haired teen was probably wandering around the forest, smashing into every tree he passed by…

Throwing food into a cast-iron pot and placing it on top of the red-hot coals, Kyo quickly surrounded the embers with a stone ring and followed a trail of newly-made footprints.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Yuki couldn't quite remember why it was he'd wandered off on this sojourn; he figured he must have been sleep-walking. It wasn't unusual for him to wake up and find himself somewhere other than his bed. It was an embarrassing habit, but there wasn't anything he could do about it. Besides, by the mere fact that he'd wandered off without any hindrance, Yuki could only assume that Kyo had still been sleeping, or was otherwise occupied, when he'd meandered off that morning.

Tenderly fingering the tip of his nose, Yuki figured his smarting face wasn't anything to worry about. He began unfastening his shirt as a slight blush colored his cheekbones. How many trees had be walked into, he wondered, before he'd actually woken up?

Stripping down to nothing, Yuki entered the body of water he'd found. At least he could get cleaned up…he hadn't had a chance to wash after the dojo the day before, due to Kyo's insistence that they leave right away. The silver-haired boy snorted softly. Like a stupid dinner could be _that _bad…

Speaking of dinners, Yuki felt his stomach clawing painfully at him, trying to get his attention and demanding to know why it had gone neglected. Remembering that he hadn't eaten since the early afternoon of the day before, Yuki groaned before submerging himself completely under the water. Cooking outdoors had been one thing Shihan hadn't helped him with. Cursing, Yuki bitterly remembered that Shihan himself had been at the mercy of Kyo, cooking-wise, when they'd gone on their training expeditions. There was no way he could attempt to cook out here without a ninety-five percent chance of burning down the whole forest…but asking Kyo to cook for him was beyond embarrassing…especially after their whole exchange the night before…

Maybe he should just drown here…

He stayed submerged until his lungs felt like they would burst. Emerging, Yuki flipped the hair from his face, laughing softly to himself. True, this wasn't the silver-haired teen's ideal camping trip, but the world would have to do something much worse than stick him with Kyo for a couple of weeks before he'd consider drowning himself. Besides, at the very least, he wasn't under the curse anymore. Things could only go up from here, right?

Turning to swim back toward the bank, Yuki paused as he caught sight of orange hair and crimson eyes.

Okay, so it might be an excruciatingly long time before things really started looking up, but still…he could deal.

Pointedly ignoring the heated gaze of crimson orbs, Yuki continued his way to the bank. But when he'd come within two feet of the stream's edge, he once again paused.

"…Well, come on, damn Rat." Kyo called out impatiently. He was leaning against the trunk of a scraggly tree, a rather cross look on his face. "I'm in no mood for a burnt breakfast."

"It's not like I asked you to come looking for me!" Yuki retorted, staying where he was. His clothes were bundled up by Kyo's feet…

"Sorry; next time you go wandering off in one of your stupid unconscious dazes, I'll just leave you alone until your corpse comes to find me and asks me to come looking for you." Kyo countered caustically.

"For one, it would be my _spirit _that came haunting you, asking you to find my _corpse_, stupid Cat…" Yuki crossed his arms, matching his cousin's cross expression. "For two, I'd find someone more dependable to be in charge of finding my corpse. And it's not like I'm stupid enough to kill myself while I'm sleep walking, anyway!"

"You don't think I'm dependable?" Kyo demanded, outraged.

"Ha." Yuki snickered. "You? The stray Cat? _Dependable_? How stupid can you get?"

"_You're _the one who's standing in a spring on top of a mountain only a few hours after dawn with weak bronchial tubes or whatever it is you have!" Kyo snapped. "Now get out of there already!"

Yuki scowled, trying to find a way out of doing what Kyo was demanding…

"Yu-ki!" Kyo drew his cousin's name out, tapping his foot impatiently and gritting his teeth. "Please just get out of there. The last thing I want is to have to take care of some sick Rat…"

The silver-haired boy tensed, taken off guard by the use of his real name. He felt the hairs rise on the nape of his neck when the orange-haired boy smirked. Now what…?

"It's not like I haven't seen you butt-naked before, if that's what you're freaking out about…" Kyo's voice took on a more teasing edge, and he inwardly celebrated at his victory when the violet-eyed teen blushed violently.

"I'm not freaking out about anything." Yuki faltered slightly as he fought for control over his voice. He took a deep breath to steady himself before continuing on. "It's the bank."

"Huh?" Kyo asked, glancing down at the muddy edge of the stream. "What about it?"

"It's muddy and slippery." Yuki responded coldly, pointing out the obvious.

"Yeah, I _get _that, but--" Kyo's eyes widened as a sharp laugh escaped his lips. "Haha! No way; are you seriously afraid of looking like an idiot in front of me?" Here, Kyo smiled smugly and softened his voice. "Afraid I won't like you anymore?"

"As if I care about that!" Yuki cried, letting his gaze grow even colder. He wasn't in the mood to be toyed with… "I just spent my time getting _clean_, stupid Cat; getting muddy while scrambling up the bank would sort of defeat the whole purpose, wouldn't it?"

"Too bad you didn't think of that before you went skinny-dipping." Kyo pointed out, still smirking. "Wade in closer, already." Carefully walking half way down the bank, Kyo waited.

"Why…?" Yuki asked suspiciously, slowly making his way toward his cousin anyway.

"Because I'm going to pull you out…I thought you were supposed to be _smart_."

"As a general rule, not trusting you _is _smart." Yuki pointed out coldly, grasping his cousin's outstretched hand.

Kyo's lips tightened into a thin line, his crimson eyes narrowing slightly as he yanked his slender cousin toward him. He held the violet-eyed teen's gaze, glaring heatedly, before letting go of the paler boy.

"Get your clothes on." Tossing the bundle of clothing at Yuki, Kyo waited impatiently. The silver haired teen hurriedly dressed himself, somewhat bewildered by his cousin's sudden change in temper. When had their regular banter turned into something serious?

"…Dammit…" The whispered curse was right in Yuki's ear, and the silver-haired boy was shocked to find that, while he'd been lost in thought for merely a second, his crimson-eyed cousin had come up next to him. A tanned hand cupped a pale cheek, a gentle thumb traced the features of a pale face.

"How many trees did you run into…?" Kyo wondered vaguely, eyes taking in the various scratches on his cousin's soft face.

"It isn't any--" Yuki began, voice trembling.

"--Of my damn business, I know." Kyo interrupted, a wry smile crossing his features. He gave a careless shrug as he withdrew his hand from the smaller teen's face, trailing his fingers along Yuki's torso before fully backing off. "I was just curious." Eyes lingering on the violet-eyed boy's wet form, Kyo smirked.

"Now you're the one who's wet…"

"Huh?" Yuki asked, trying to clear his head and follow the conversation

"Nothing…Come on; breakfast has probably burned by now, and you need to get into some different clothes…most people bring a towel when they go bathing, by the way."

"Nn…" Yuki murmured indistinctly, following his cousin back to their campsite.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

As it turns out, the meal Kyo had cooked was salvageable; a few burnt pieces had to be thrown into the woods, but other than that, it was fine.

Small pieces of beef, vegetables, and pork surrounded by cooked egg. The sight made Yuki's mouth water, and he could barely contain his excitement as his crimson-eyed cousin dished the meal out.

Yuki changed into dry clothes in record time before shoveling food into his mouth ravenously, his stomach beginning to forgive him just a little.

"I never thought you could eat so much…" Kyo remarked blandly, raising an eyebrow as Yuki shoveled his third plate-full of food into his mouth.

Yuki simply quirked an eyebrow at his cousin, but finished his meal at a slightly slower pace.

"…Seriously, where do you put all that stuff?" Kyo inquired, putting his plate down. He'd eaten as soon as he'd gotten back from the dojo (eating always calmed his nerves), and he wasn't quite as hungry as his cousin apparently was. "You're so slender and you're not exactly tall or strong--anymore, anyway…so what do you do with all that stuff?"

"…I use it to fuel my brain, stupid Cat…" Yuki retorted once he'd swallowed. "Something that obviously would never cross _your _mind."

"Touchy…" Kyo muttered, shaking his head and gathering the dishes.

Yuki stood up and stretched, ignoring his companion's comment. It wasn't very late in the day at all--in fact, there was still a rather distinct chill in the air, and the sun had barely moved; it was only now halfway above the looming mountains that surrounded them.

"So am I actually going to be training up here, or is this really only a last-minute expedition with no purpose but to ditch Hanajima-san and Shihan?" Yuki asked, turning to look at his crimson-eyed cousin. The tanned teen was already scrubbing at the dishes they'd just finished using.

Kyo snorted.

"Don't even think this is some sort of vacation for me, you damn Rat." He glared up at the silver-haired boy. "Go out into the woods and gather whatever _dry _wood you can find. When you're done with that, go back to the stream and catch whatever decent sized fish you can."

"Yes, master…" Yuki muttered, sighing. It wasn't like there was anything else he could do.

"When you get back, we'll be moving camp." Kyo continued as though he hadn't heard the smaller teen's remark. "So don't take too long."

"Yeah, yeah…" Yuki waved away the mild threat with a careless hand. Scanning the rocky terrain around him, Yuki figured most of the sparse trees in the mountain range would be around the stream.

'And I probably managed to run into every one of them,' Yuki thought dryly. He'd revenge his face in twigs and sticks.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Kyo scrubbed harshly at the pot for several more minutes before he realized the cooking utensil was already spotless. Blinking at his reflection momentarily, the crimson-eyed teen quickly felt his expression melt into a scowl. Tossing the cleaning rag into his sack and packing away the now sparkling clean pot, plates, and utensils, Kyo blew the stray hairs out of his face. Glancing up at the sky, he cursed under his breath. Dark rain clouds once again covered the sky.

Glancing at the pile of muddy clothes he'd discarded earlier that morning, Kyo sighed. There was no way he'd be able to do the laundry before the downpour…picking up everything else and stowing it away, Kyo crawled inside the tent, shoving his sack into the very corner of the small shelter. He'd practically just woken up, but already he felt inexplicable exhaustion pulling at his body.

No doubt Yuki would find his way back to the campsite…there wasn't any need to worry…Kyo rolled his eyes as he curled up on the tent's dry floor. 'He wouldn't appreciate me worrying, anyway,' the orange-haired teen thought to himself. A small stab of--guilt? responsibility?--bothered the Cat for a split second, before the downpour began and he felt his mind numbing as his body was overcome with fatigue.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Yuki knelt there, unable to speak, waiting frantically for his lungs to cooperate with his desire to breath.

This couldn't be happening…his bronchial tubes weren't nearly as weak as they had been.

Hatori had said so himself.

It was all the stupid Cat's fault for jinxing him that morning.

A sudden downpour drenched the silver-haired boy in seconds. Dropping the pile of wood he'd collected, Yuki lay on the ground, curling up on his side, coughing for all he was worth.

Where was that stupid Cat…?

**Heh, sorry for the cliff-hanger-ish ending. I'll work on another chapter tonight, and hopefully I'll finish it tomorrow evening after I get off work. (Summer jobs suck...) If I'm lucky, I'll be able to write it tonight and upload it, too. Hope you enjoyed the chapter--please review! I like hearing what you think!**


	6. Breathless

_WhitePhantom88: Okay this is probably gonna be the last update for the next two days at least...I'll try and update on Wednesday at the latest, so I hope you enjoy this chapter! _

_**~Hidden Addiction~**_

_**:Breathless:**_

Yuki stumbled forward, trying to keep his body from collapsing, trying to keep his lungs from burning into cinders by sheer will-power.

It wasn't raining.

There was no way in hell _this _could be classified as simply 'rain'.

_This_ was a freakin' typhoon.

Slipping once more in the mud, Yuki cursed, feeling tears well up in his eyes. Lifting his head, he tried to peer through the curtain of water that surrounded him, but couldn't see a thing…a wave of darkness swallowed him up and he reluctantly relinquished himself to it.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Kyo opened his eyes blearily. The sound of howling winds confused him for a moment, before he remembered where he was. The tent was shaking, but Yuki's basic camping skills were flawless; securely grounded, the tent wasn't going anywhere. Kyo found himself in disgusted admiration at the silver-haired teen's skill. Glancing around the small shelter for the source of his irritation, Kyo suddenly sat up.

Yuki wasn't there.

His limbs protested as he pulled himself onto his hands and knees, crawling to the entrance of the tent and unzipping the flap that served as a door. Hissing as a whip of water smacked him across the face, Kyo squinted into the storm, debating whether or not to risk the deadly weather outside. Yuki wasn't stupid; he'd be able to find shelter, right?

But the damn Rat had no sense of direction. In that department, he was almost as bad as Haru.

Being scatter-brained probably didn't help the Rat's chances of survival, either.

Feeling like a mother hen, Kyo mentally kicked himself, knowing he'd regret this later, and stumbled out of the tent.

A small, dark heap of something caught the crimson-eyed teen's attention. Struggling toward it, the drenched Cat heaved a sigh of relief and annoyance when he made out the shivering, pale, and completely wet form of his cousin.

"Stupid Rat…you were only a few feet away from shelter, you know?" Kyo muttered as he scooped up the slender teen.

Even though the violet-eyed boy was light, he was only a few inches shorter than the vibrant orange-haired teen whose arms he now lay in, making him a rather awkward burden. Balance thrown completely off, Kyo gritted his teeth as he struggled against the raging winds and bullet-like raindrops. He almost slipped several times, but managed to get both him and his cousin back to the entrance of the tent without too much of a problem.

Collapsing to his knees, Kyo hurriedly stripped Yuki of all his clothes, piling the muddy, drenched material by the side of the tent, and then pushed the violently-coughing teen into the dry shelter. Stripping himself, Kyo quickly placed his own drenched attire with Yuki's and followed the other teen into the safety of their shelter. Zipping the entrance closed, Kyo wasted no time wrapping the silver-haired teen in a blanket.

Pulling on yet another set of dry clothing, Kyo cursed. He'd _never _had to change clothes so many times in one day. He rummaged around in the corner of the small tent, finally locating the small brass heater and the last of their dried wood. Lighting a match, he started a small fire inside the heater and placed it carefully in the center of the floor, making sure nothing was near it. Glancing over at his cousin, Kyo felt his brow crease as he watched Yuki's slender body shake with the cold, his chest convulsing every so often with a muted cough.

"If you're going to cough, cough out loud, dammit." Kyo demanded crossly, running a hand over his face. He hated it when people tried so hard to 'keep out of the way'…it made him feel demanding. And nervous.

The crimson-eyed teen wasn't sure his cousin had registered his rather sour comment or not, but the violet-eyed boy beside him suddenly doubled over, coughing loudly.

"Didn't I tell you the last thing I wanted was to take care of some sick Rat?" Kyo muttered, reaching out to pull his cousin into a more upright position out of habit. His lungs could access air more easily that way…

Kyo almost lost all the air in his own lungs as a slender body maneuvered its way into his lap, cold and trembling hands gripping his shirt, a face burying itself in his neck, soft silken hair brushing against his jaw…

Yuki curled up easily against him, his tense body relaxing a bit more. Kyo swallowed; this wasn't good. Just having the Rat so close threatened the tentative control Kyo had over his fraught-filled emotions.

But every stretch, every curve of the slender teen's body was so familiar…his scent so sweet and overwhelming…his skin, so soft, demanding to be touched…

Before he could think, the crimson-eyed teen had tilted the silver-haired boy's face upward and captured the soft supple lips he'd been thinking about so often in a violent kiss.

Sometime during which Kyo couldn't recall a single thought, the taller teen found he'd pushed his slender cousin to the floor, slid his hands under the rather thin blanket between their bodies, and was now running his hands skillfully down the sides of Yuki's bare abdomen. Despite his slender, delicate look, Yuki had a rather toned body…

Kyo seized his cousin's lips once more, delight and pleasure coursing through his lean body as the silver-haired teen moaned softly into his mouth, slender hips pressing upward against Kyo's own lanky frame. Kyo instinctively traced the length of Yuki's arms, gripping his wrists, attempting to hold them above the silver-haired boy's head and tease the smaller teen.

But his hand brushed against something scalding hot along the way.

Abruptly coming to his senses, Kyo cursed at the burn that was now developing on his hand. Throwing an irritated glare at the small brass heater he'd bumped into, Kyo pulled himself off of his cousin. Noting that the silver-haired teen still had nothing but a blanket wrapped around him, the crimson-eyed boy took a deep breath.

This was no time to lose it.

Even if there was a high chance Yuki wouldn't remember a thing in the morning…or evening…or whenever the storm stopped. Rain always threw Kyo's internal clock off…

The idea of being able to do whatever he wanted, with a very slim chance of repercussions was extremely tempting, now that Kyo actually thought about it.

No…

Shaking his head, Kyo dug around once more through his supplies, finding a length of bandages for his hand (along with some salve), and then pulling boxers, a pair of slacks and a shirt out of Yuki's sack.

He bandaged his hand up in no time, having done it a thousand times before, and extinguished the small brass heater before turning to face his cousin.

Yuki was sitting up, wrapped loosely in the blanket, his over-bright eyes fixed on the orange-haired boy. Kyo felt his breath catch under the intense gaze of those dark eyes…some emotion filled Yuki's eyes, making them the darkest shade of violet Kyo had ever seen them. It was hard to distinguish his pupils from his irises…

"Get dressed, or you'll get even sicker." Kyo whispered, not quite sure why he was speaking so softly, but unwilling to talk in a normal tone. Maybe he was afraid to disturb whatever it was that had convinced Yuki to partially remove the ice-cold mask he usually wore…

Not that Kyo would admit to noticing it, but this was the most emotionally open he'd seen the silver-haired teen in a long, _long _time.

Blinking in an attempt to clear his clouded thoughts, Kyo threw the assortment of clothing at Yuki. The violet-eyed boy picked up his boxers, slipping into them with an odd sort of graceful clumsiness…it was painful to watch. Kyo felt his cheeks flare with color as he looked away.

The sound of disgruntled mumbling caused the crimson-eyed teen to reluctantly turn his attention back to his cousin. Yuki had managed to slip both arms through the sleeves of his button-up shirt, but was struggling to fasten the article of clothing. Kyo smiled crookedly…who brought a button-up dress shirt on a mountain training expedition?

Taking a hold of his cousin's smaller hands, Kyo gently pushed them aside and undid the mismatched buttons of the silver-haired boy's shirt. Refastening them slowly, Kyo allowed his fingers to brush against the fever-flushed skin of the violet-eyed teen.

The crimson-eyed teen let out a small gasp of surprise as slender fingers entwined themselves in the collar of his shirt, pulling him closer to a remarkably irresistible face…deep, fathomless pools of violet roamed his face searchingly, before the sweet, addicting lips he'd tasted only minutes before brushed against his own sensitive ones. Gently, almost unintentionally teasingly, those supple lips toyed with his mouth…a gentle nip on his lower lip completely destroyed any scrap of self-control Kyo had left, and the crimson-eyed teen opened his mouth, dominating the kiss within seconds.

Until Yuki slumped forward, suddenly dead to the world.

"…What the hell." Kyo asked simply, running an aggravated hand through his hair. It was typical of the Rat, to fall asleep the instant he was done amusing himself. Anger flooded through Kyo's veins, quickly replacing the desire that had filled him moments ago.

Covering the silver-haired teen carelessly with the blanket, Kyo rather forcefully unzipped his own sleeping bag and curled up inside of it, scowling.

He was becoming so damn moody, but then, the Rat could make him like that without having to try at all.

Stupid Rat.

He was about to drift off into a fitful sleep when the sound of teeth chattering and the sight of his violet-eyed roommate shivering caught his attention. Sighing, Kyo sat up and tried to think.

He wasn't about to light the brass heater again…it was too cramped in the one-person tent, and Yuki would probably knock the thing over in his sleep, burning down the whole mountain, and the nearest village. That was the sort of thing that tended to happen when he and the Rat were together…

He wasn't about to give up his sleeping bag, either--there was no way in hell he'd freeze his arse off, just so that the Rat could sleep comfortably…

He was exhausted, and only one other solution was coming to mind.

Sighing in an exasperated sort of way, Kyo dragged his sleeping bag over to where the Rat lay, still shivering. Laying the sleeping bag down and climbing into it, Kyo pulled the smaller teen next to him and zipped the warm bedding around them both. It was a one-person sleeping bag, so they only just fit, but it was the best solution at the time.

'Maybe now I can get some sleep…' Kyo thought dryly, his eyes already closed, his arms wrapped comfortably around the warm body that had melted so casually against his…

"_Whoa!_" Kyo whispered hoarsely, jerking his hands back to his sides--not an easy feat in the tight constricts of the one-person sleeping bag he was now sharing with another teenaged boy. There was no way in hell he was chancing the silver-haired boy waking up to _that. _Granted, the crimson-eyed teen usually woke up first, but still.

He wasn't taking any chances.

Especially when he didn't know how long the rain was going to last…and thus how long his internal clock was going to be off.

Turning to face away from his cousin, Kyo closed his eyes and once more drifted off to sleep…

It wasn't as fitful a sleep as he had predicted.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Kyo woke to find slender arms wrapped around his lean waist and delicate fingers hooked around the hem of his draw-string pants.

Trying to wriggle free of his oblivious cousin's grasp, Kyo let loose a string of muttered curse words. The stubborn Rat wasn't letting go easily. Kyo struggled a bit more forcefully, only to freeze when a slender leg wound its way around his thigh, a slight body pressing against his own.

"Dammit, Yuki…" Kyo muttered, managing to turn around and face the unconscious teen beside him. Maybe, if he woke the teen up…

No. Bad idea.

It could only backfire.

He wasn't sure exactly how, but Kyo knew the Rat would find some way to make the whole thing his fault.

Plan B, then…

He had no plan B.

So he just lay there, trying to figure out some plan of action.

Until Yuki upped the stakes.

Sliding his leg further up Kyo's body and wrapping it around the crimson-eyed teen's waist, Yuki trailed both hands upward as well, until one hand came to rest on Kyo's chest, the other at the nape of his neck, slowly stroking his hair. He had pressed himself so close to the other teen, that Kyo could feel the nails of the violet-eyed teen's hand as it was crushed between them, against his chest.

Even worse, Kyo's face was mere millimeters from his cousin's. Their breath mingled; Yuki's slow and even, his slightly rapid.

All he could hope was that the teen would shift again before waking up…shift into a massively less awkward position.

Kyo was almost cross-eyed as he watched his cousin's face for any sign of life.

It was still early. Surely Yuki would continue to sleep for at least four or five more hours.

Kyo silently cursed his optimism as he watched the translucent pair of eyelids before him flutter open. Dark violet orbs stared unseeingly into his own wild crimson eyes.

Okay…everything was still okay. Yuki might be 'awake', but he wasn't really awake. Just in that stupid, wonderful, sub-conscious daze. He could still make it out of this whole situation without anything majorly awkward happening…

Dark violet eyes slowly blinked, their color fading to a more normal shade of light violet…almost more of a lilac or lavender, Kyo noted.

_Damn._

There was simply no telling with the stupid Rat.

Sometimes he could take hours to fully wake up.

Other days, he woke up within minutes of opening his eyes.

This just had to be one of those other days.

A violent shove in the diaphragm left Kyo without a doubt.

Yuki jerked backward, his eyebrows knitting together, a scowl forming on his face.

"What are you doing?!" The silver-haired boy hissed, a cold mask descending on his previously relaxed face.

A sudden flare of anger shot through Kyo's body.

There was no way in hell Yuki was going to toy with him like that, and then blame it on him!

Without a word, or even a second thought, Kyo leaned forward and seized his cousin's partially open mouth with his own. Yuki frantically struggled against the crimson-eyed teen, only to find himself constricted by a rather cramped sleeping bag. Kyo smirked into his cousin's mouth, letting instinct control him completely.

Running his hands up Yuki's shirt, Kyo released the startled boy's lips, nipping at his earlobe and trailing kisses along the other boy's jaw line.

"Wha--?" Yuki gasped, trying to remember what he so desperately knew he should be asking. Kyo silenced his half-formed inquiry with another vivacious kiss, this time running a hand along Yuki's inner thigh. Trying to pull away, Yuki bit his lower lip in an attempt to keep himself from uttering a sound. Chuckling darkly, Kyo passed another teasing hand along the same sensitive spot, delighted with himself when a breathless "Ky-o!" rushed from the lips of the silver-haired teen below him. Pressing against the slender hips he currently straddled, Kyo nipped at his cousin's red lower lip.

"Nn--?" The crimson-eyed teen mocked teasingly, his own voice husky as he pulled back slightly. The violet-eyed teen below him was at a loss for words, however, and could only shut his eyes and try to recover his breath.

Forcing himself to act nonchalantly, even though his instincts were raging against his every rational thought, Kyo reached over and unzipped the sleeping bag. Stretching in a way that much resembled a cat, Kyo brought himself up to his knees and smiled cockily at the breathless teen still lying between his legs.

Standing up and gathering his cooking utensils and an assortment of food, Kyo made his way casually out of the tent, not offering the bewildered silver-haired teen still lying on the floor of the shelter so much as a word of explanation.

Tracing his now-tender lips in a confused manner, Yuki slowly rolled over and sat up.

"What…the hell?" The silver-haired teen asked aloud.

This hidden addiction they shared had mutated while no one was looking.

A new kind of addiction.

A new game.

The same feeling of being completely and utterly lost.

**I know it's a bit shorter than my normal chapters, but...heh, well what can I say? Please review; I don't care what you say--love it, hate it, comments on plot, characters, even predictions about the story itself (don't worry--nothing you say will affect the rest of the story--the whole thing's already pretty much set in my mind)--feedback really motivates me to write more...one of the reasons I joined this site is because I get motivated to write by hearing people comment on what I've already written. And of course, constructive criticism; a person can always improve! If you don't have the time to write a little comment, that's cool, but if you do, please drop me a line! Until next time, then...**

**~WhitePhantom88**


	7. Interruption

_WhitePhantom88: Thanks to everyone for the awesome reviews--seriously, those things really help in the motivational department! I wrote this chapter after getting back from work and reading the newest reviews, so as you can see, I'm not exaggerating! _

_Well, this chapter's a bit more fast-paced and a bit longer--so I hope ya enjoy it!_

_**~Hidden Addiction~**_

_**:Interruption:**_

There were a million reasons to try and think this whole thing out…a million reasons to keep himself in check…a million reasons to calmly devise a strategy for winning this new game…or at least make his next move as effective as possible…

But at the moment, Yuki didn't give a damn about reasons.

Feeling his hands clench into fists, the silver-haired teen launched himself from the tent and tackled his lanky, crimson-eyed cousin to the ground.

Taken completely off guard, Kyo lay stunned, pinned under the vice-like grip of the violet-eyed boy.

Blinking rapidly, the crimson-eyed teen managed to regain some of his wit.

"What the hell is your _problem_?" The enraged teen demanded.

Feeling his eyes tearing up due to the emotional tempest currently raging inside of him, Yuki bit his lip as he drew his fist back and sent it flying into the other teen's scowling face.

"--The _hell_, damn Rat!" Kyo cried, cupping a hand over his inured left eye and countering with his other fist.

Though he managed to dodge most of the attack, Yuki felt a small trickle of blood creep down his cheek.

Not wanting to give the silver-haired boy a chance to continue the fight, Kyo followed his first attack with a second punch to his violet-eyed cousin's abdomen. He heard a rush of breath escape the teen's lips, and taking advantage of this momentary distraction, Kyo twisted with all his might, jerking his lighter cousin off of him just enough so that he could scramble to his feet.

Both teens were beyond words; they would settle things the way they always had.

Physically.

Kyo stood with his guard raised, his left eye swelling shut rapidly, his teeth slightly bared.

Yuki mirrored his cousin's stance, having managed to get some relative control over his emotions back; his eyes were dry, but his cheeks were flushed, the right side of his face sporting a smear of blood and a shallow gash.

Frozen ice-shards locked with molten coals.

"You shouldn't walk around in boxers…" A low, soft-spoken voice pointed out mildly, causing both of the enraged teens to jump. "It's indecent."

Yuki felt his face flush even more as he glanced down to find that he had, indeed, forgotten to put a pair of pants on. Come to think of it, when had he taken his pants off? And this wasn't the shirt he'd been wearing when he'd collapsed the night before…

"Like you know anything about being decent, Ox." Kyo snorted, trying to cover his surprise with a brusque comment. "What are you doing here, anyway?"

Haru didn't answer; instead, he glanced at Yuki, who was still puzzling over his attire, oblivious to the world for the moment. The black-and-white haired teen felt his lips twitch up in a small smile. His violet-eyed cousin really was easily distracted…shaking his head as the memory of their last meeting fluttered through his mind, Haru let his smile fade as he turned and sauntered off.

"Oi…_oi_!" Kyo called out, annoyed at having been totally disregarded by the younger teen. "Haru, you stupid Ox, answer me when I'm talking to you!" The crimson-eyed teen blew the stray hairs from his face and muttered a few curses, following his still-unperturbed younger cousin off into the mountains. "You're gonna get lost!" A mild sense of suspicion enveloped Kyo; what _was_ the Ox doing in the mountains? Somehow, Kyo had a bad feeling about it…

Not bothering to say a word as both of his cousins disappeared into the surrounding mountains, Yuki turned toward the tent. Even if he couldn't exactly remember why he didn't have pants on, at least he could remedy the situation…

A pile of wet, muddy clothes by the entrance of the shelter caused the silver-haired teen to pause. Flashes of memory came back to him, small pieces of the events that had occurred the night before.

Yuki didn't even know where to start; how was he supposed to figure this living nightmare out? It wasn't like he could talk the whole thing over with Kyo…the Cat would sooner break his own arm than speak about their situation, and even if his crimson-eyed cousin was willing to talk about it, Yuki knew that he himself wouldn't be able to formulate anything coherent, if he could utter a word at all. The whole thing was just too damn confusing. What he needed was time alone, away from everything, to think it over until some small beam of light was shed on the situation…

"Wow, Yun-Yun…you look absolutely horrid."

It couldn't be.

"Or, you look like you just underwent a rather lively bout of love-making…"

Yuki's face was on fire, he knew it.

"Now that I think about it, the latter is much more probable…your hair's all mussed, your face is flushed, your pants are off…" A finger traced the gash on Yuki's cheek. "And what's this? Did your lover bite you, or something? Yun-Yun, _that's so dirty!_"

Violently smacking the hand away from his face, Yuki turned to glare at his dark-haired bane.

"The only _dirty_ thing around here is your mind!" Eyes freezing over, the silver-haired teen hoped his icy tone would keep Manabe Kakeru from further comments. "Why do you always have to bring up stuff like that, anyway?"

"It's part of my charm." Kakeru replied, raising an eyebrow and giving his silver-haired friend an odd look, as if to say 'Isn't it obvious?'. Mischievous features melting quickly into a small pout, Kakeru didn't skip a beat before continuing. "And you know I hate it when you lie to me, Yun-Yun…"

"…Huh?" Yuki asked in spite of himself; did he really want to know?

"There are lots of dirty things around here! Why, there's a whole pile of them right by your foot." Kakeru smirked. "I hear like attracts like, y'know…"

"Don't confuse me with you." Yuki retorted.

"I'm not the one standing near a pile of dirtiness in my boxers." Kakeru quipped. "Speaking of, if you weren't doing something dirty, why are you only half-dressed? And what's with the cut?"

"I got into a fight, simple as that." Yuki snapped, crawling into the tent and grabbing the first pair of pants he could find. He hoped his being obviously occupied would deter the dark-haired mischief-maker from making further inquiries.

No such luck.

"Who with?"

"Kyo."

"Orangey? Really? Did you win?"

"It was a draw--we got interrupted."

"Oh…but why were you fighting in your boxers?"

"Because my cousin has horrible timing, and said something completely stupid while I was dressing…I snapped, threw the first punch, and haven't been able to get any peace since." Yuki fastened his pants, hoping against all odds his dark-haired friend had caught the subtle reprimand.

"No way! He didn't say something _dirty_, did he?" Kakeru nearly crowed, oblivious as usual to Yuki's irritation. "That's practically incestuous!"

"…Is lewdness hardwired into your brain?"

"I dunno; never checked." Kakeru shrugged, before glancing at the tent. "So why's your tent so small? You and orangey don't actually share that thing, do you?"

"Yeah, we do, since the idiot forgot to pack his own tent." Yuki scowled.

"Yun-Yun's always so nice…" Kakeru commented off-handedly, his smile genuine before being replaced by a mischievous smirk that melted into another pout. "But that doesn't excuse Yun-Yun! I'm still angry!"

"About what?!" Yuki demanded, still easily disoriented by Kakeru's fast-paced moods.

"You've been cheating on me, haven't you? With Orangey! And that whole 'fight' was really a lover's tiff!" Kakeru whined, giving the violet-eyed teen a 'how-could-you' look.

"…I'm going to throw you off the mountain."

"Oh!" Kakeru snapped, as though just remembering something.

"Now what?" Yuki muttered to himself.

"I forgot to tell you--I'm here to kidnap you!" Smiling proudly, Kakeru held out a hand to his friend. "So, let's go!"

"Wha--?" Yuki began, only to be interrupted by a flamboyant hug.

"My dearest little brother, we have found you!"

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

"Haru, _stop_, dammit!"

Kyo grabbed the younger teen's arm, giving it a sharp yank.

"Bullying anyone smaller, weaker, or younger than he is. How typical. He really hasn't grown up at all, has he, Kisa?"

"Wha--?" Kyo sputtered, turning to glare at a chestnut-haired boy. "Hiro…?"

"Uh…it's been a while, Kyo-nii." A soft, sweet voice piped up, hoping to dispel the tension in the air. Bright golden eyes timidly met the orange-haired teen's crimson gaze.

"Uh…yeah…it has been a while." Kyo muttered, letting go of Haru's arm.

A small smile crossed Kisa's features.

"I'm sorry, I'm _so sorry _I'm late!" Bursting onto the scene, flushed and harried, a long-haired young man bent over to catch his breath.

"…Is the whole freakin' Zodiac taking a hike in these mountains?" Kyo sarcastically wondered aloud.

"Not the whole Zodiac…" A young teen with burnished-gold hair appeared next to Ritsu. "Shi-chan, Akito-san, Kagura-nee, Ha'ri, and Kureno aren't here. Neither is Tohru, in case you were wondering."

"Are you ever going to stop calling people by childish nick-names, Rabbit?" Kyo asked, arching an eyebrow.

"She likes it." Momiji answered simply, shrugging. "Besides, I like it, too, _Kyon_."

"Don't call me that!" Kyo snapped.

"I see you found him…" A cool, smooth, but haughty voice observed. Large, dark eyes locked gazes with the crimson-eyed teen, and a glaring match ensued.

"Isuzu-chan!" Ritsu--having finally caught his breath--greeted the dark-featured beauty. "It's been a while!"

The dark-featured girl didn't answer him, keeping her gaze fixed on Kyo.

"Rin's not big on formalities." Haru explained mildly, subconsciously wrapping an arm around the Horse's slim waist.

"Don't worry about it, Rit-chan!" Momiji added. "By the way, Kyo, I have a question for you!"

"What?!" Kyo snapped, still not backing down from the glaring-contest he held with the Horse.

"This is retarded." Hiro observed.

"What's Kyo's dream job?" Momiji asked, ignoring the chestnut-haired preteen beside him.

"What the hell does that have to do with anything?" The crimson-eyed teen demanded.

"Does anybody know?" Momiji ignored the inquiry, turning to the rest of his cousins.

"To be a Shishou!" Kisa piped up excitedly.

"Exactly." Smiling kindly at his younger cousin, Momiji ruffled the Tiger's vibrant golden-red hair. Turning to face his older, crimson-eyed cousin, Momiji let his smile grow a tad bit colder. "So congratulations, Kyo."

The orange-haired teen only blinked at the blonde teen, still not quite sure he got what the Rabbit was talking about.

"Still as slow as ever, I see." Hiro sighed impatiently, tapping his foot. "You got the job overseas, stupid Cat."

"That doesn't explain why everyone's come into the mountains!" Kyo countered, glaring at the Sheep through his one good eye and subconsciously making a fist.

"I've been meaning to ask…" Haru spoke up. "What happened to your eye?"

"Never mind that; answer my question!"

"I bet Yuki did it." Momiji theorized. "They probably had a fight…it's to be expected, I suppose."

"Answer my question!"

"Ah, we came to search for you and Yuki-nii, since we're having a celebratory dinner…for you…so, congratulations!" Kisa twisted her fingers together, staring at the dirt during her whole speech.

"…Who's putting on this dinner?" Kyo asked slowly.

"Kazuma-dono, of course, Kyon!" A careless voice answered airily.

"Shi-chan!" Momiji greeted the dark-haired writer. "I thought you were waiting with the rest of them at Shihan's house!"

"Well, we thought it would be a good idea to send a responsible adult along to make sure that all of you adorable children made it back safely…hi, Satchan! Did you miss me?"

"That means Hatori's somewhere in these mountains, too…" Kyo muttered, running a hand through his hair.

"I'm responsible, too, Kyon-Kyon! Right, Satchan?" Shigure whined at Kyo before winking at Kisa.

"Don't talk to him, Kisa; he's dangerous." Hiro stepped in between his younger cousin and the dark-haired writer.

"Hiro-chan, you're becoming as rude as Yuki…" Shigure noted with an offended sniff. "Well, shall we go then? I'm pretty sure that Aaya and the others have found Yuki by now."

Reluctantly, as though in a trance, Kyo followed his extended family down the trail leading back to the town. This was not good…he didn't want to see Shishou or _her_ right now…not when he had so little control over his emotions…

"So what happened to your eye, Kyon-Kyon?"

His trance broke as a rush of irritation flooded his veins.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

"Nii-san…" Yuki managed to gasp out, wriggling in the tight grip of his older brother. Ayame laughed.

"Fear not, dear brother, for I am here to bring you hence!"

"Maybe you should let him go before he passes out, Leader." Kakeru noted jovially, quirking an eyebrow at the platinum-haired man.

"But of course!" Pale green eyes glittering, Ayame let go of his brother. "I only wished to express my over-flowing joy at seeing him again after so long!"

"Yeah, I know…" Kakeru reassured the older man, extending a hand to help Yuki stand. The silver-haired teen had collapsed from exhaustion and exasperation the moment his brother had released him.

Swiping the dark-haired teen's hand away impatiently, Yuki got to his feet.

"Would you two mind telling me exactly where we're going?"

Ayame slipped an arm around his younger brother's shoulders, gripping him tightly against his side. "Does it matter, as long as we go together, _mon frere_?" Pointing dramatically to the horizon, the pale-green-eyed man paused for effect.

"It matters…it matters a lot." Yuki replied through clenched teeth. "If I have to go anywhere with you, it had better be a place worth the trouble…"

"The strength and magnificence of our brotherly love will overcome any obstacle, transforming with marvelous and spectacular special effects any destination into a place most certainly worthwhile of our radiant presence!" Ayame declared to the world, clenching his hand into a determined fist.

"You both _are_ really good-looking…I wish I had a gene-pool like yours!" Kakeru commented, hands in his pockets as he began to walk down a trail. Ayame followed, dragging Yuki along with him.

"That had almost nothing to do with whatever Nii-san just said…" Yuki pointed out to the dark-haired teen, trying not to trip as he attempted to keep up with his brother's overly-excited gait.

"Yeah, but it might have had something to do with a bit of what he said." Kakeru replied cheerfully.

'He's even worse when Nii-san's around…' Yuki observed dryly, shaking his head and resigning himself to temporary capture.

"So where are we going?" The silver-haired boy half-heartedly attempted to once more discover their destination.

"It's sure to be loads of fun, even if it is in Kyonkichi's honor!" Ayame replied brightly.

"Tell him before he uses your arm to strangle himself…" A calm voice suggested. Yuki silently thanked his lucky stars; at last, someone with sense had come to his rescue…

Glancing down to where Yuki's head was tucked in the crook of his arm, Ayame released his younger brother and plunged into a detailed explanation.

"We're going to Kazuma-dono's house, for he hath most graciously invited us to dine at a feast prepared in celebration of Kyonkichi's acceptance to an American dojo. Apparently our favorite Cat has been appointed a shihan in a foreign land. Well, as I always say, the world is full of surprises!"

"…and so you came into the mountains to find me and drag me to a celebratory banquet?"

"Yep." Ayame smiled. "Strange, isn't it? To go to a banquet not only _with_ the Cat, but _for_ the Cat?"

"Huh?" Kakeru asked, tilting his head.

"A family joke." Ayame confidently waved aside the dark-haired teen's question.

"Why did you come along to find me?" Yuki asked his peer, attempting to further distract the dark-haired teen.

"I was looking for you at your house, but no one was there, and then Leader showed up, looking for the writer-guy, and took me along to the dojo, where everyone else had assembled, and we formed these search-groups, headed up into the mountains, and tada! Here I am. I was invited to the banquet, too, but I can't come 'cause I have to work, and then I've got a date with my Meat-Angel."

"I thought she told you to stop calling her that."

"She never means it."

"Ah…"

"I think I hear the others approaching…" Hatori commented.

Turning to look at the other trail that now converged with the one he was on, Yuki whistled under his breath.

"Practically the whole Zodiac is here…" He muttered to himself.

"Aaya-niisan!" Ritsu waved happily, hurrying over to see his most admired cousin. Aaya greeted the younger man warmly.

"Yuki! Manabe! Ha'ri! Aaya!" Momiji called out, hurrying over to greet his friends. Although the blonde teen and the dark-haired trouble-maker had never really hung out or talked, they fell into conversation easily enough.

Yuki caught Haru's eye for a split second, before the black-and-white haired teen ducked his head and wandered away in a slight hurry. The silver-haired Rat felt a pang of guilt as he recalled the last words he'd spoken to his usually-mild cousin. Rin shot daggers in his direction before following her lover off the trail and disappearing into the mountains.

Yuki let his eyes linger on the spot where they'd disappeared before turning his attention to the rest of the former Zodiac members who had eagerly come over to greet him.

"Damn Rat…" Kyo muttered, watching the cousins he'd been surrounded by moments before flock over to his silver-haired cousin.

It wasn't like he actually missed being surrounded by his over-bearing extended relatives. He wasn't actually all that annoyed at all; the whole situation felt normal…it felt _right_.

He wasn't really disliked; just not liked as much as the Rat.

He could hang out with the other Zodiac members, but given the choice, they'd flock to the Rat.

It felt so natural to have them rush toward Yuki.

It felt so natural to hang back with arms crossed, cursing his cousin's name.

It felt so natural to just fall into the habits they'd spent their whole lives developing.

So maybe _that _was the real problem they'd all have to figure out…

Where did they begin, and their zodiac habits stop? What was really _them_, and what were the things they did merely out of habits formed by the Zodiac spirits? Now that the spirits were gone…were they supposed to stop those habits? Had those habits been them to begin with, or purely the Zodiac spirits'? Were they supposed to carry the habits of their former Zodiac spirits for the rest of their lives? How would they know…how do they know what was them and what was a Zodiac habit, anyway?

This revelation left Kyo momentarily out of it as he pondered his epiphany.

"It looks like you won't get the chance to repay the debt you owe…" A hushed voice speaking to him coldly shook Kyo out of his reverie. Glancing to his side, he was slightly surprised to find that Yuki was walking beside him. The rest of the Zodiac had paired off; Hiro and Kisa, Momiji and Kakeru, Ayame and Ritsu, and Shigure and Hatori…Rin and Haru had disappeared, it seemed. They were all in relatively deep conversations, too…

"Since now you won't be able to tell me why you're so freaked about the Hanajima-san-Shihan thing, you still owe me." The violet-eyed teen continued coolly.

"The whole contract is null and void now." Kyo snapped. Yuki had brought back all the things he'd been agitated about and the crimson-eyed teen's epiphany was forgotten for the moment. "You didn't help me get away from Shishou at all, as it turns out, so I don't owe you anything."

"I still spent two days of hell up in the mountains with you." Yuki pointed out.

"Your half of the deal was to act as a ploy so that Shishou wouldn't find me. You didn't come through; it's as simple as that. You didn't do what you were supposed to, so the deal is void. You're not charming your way out of this, either, Rat."

Yuki felt his jaw clench; Kyo spoke about past two days as though it were some sort of business transaction; nothing else. 'What did I expect, though? I'm only a _tool_, after all; if I don't do what I'm supposed to, I'm no good.' The silver-haired teen bit back bitter words and tried to smooth his features out when he noticed that Momiji and Kakeru had stopped talking and were glancing back at him.

"What do you think, Kakeru?" Momiji asked his new-found friend suddenly. Yuki was confused at first, before realizing that the blonde Rabbit must be continuing a conversation the two of them had started before. Kakeru shook his head.

"Honestly? I thought that Orangey here would have been the better fighter…"

"Yuki's always been the better fighter, actually. I'm kinda surprised that Kyo landed a hit, to be honest. Kyo must have attacked Yuki by surprise, or something."

"Really? Yun-Yun's the better fighter? I never would have guessed; he hides it so well under that delicate exterior." Kakeru arched an eyebrow. "But I guess it kinda makes sense; at the very least, I know that Yun-Yun is quick to fight!"

'I am…?' Yuki thought to himself.

"We're right here, y'know!" Kyo growled. The Rabbit had been unusually cold to him as of late, and it was beginning to get on his nerves…

"Oh, how rude!" Kakeru put a hand to his cheek. "You really oughtn't eavesdrop!"

"You'd better turn around right now, before things get ugly…" Yuki pointed out icily.

Momiji followed his older cousin's suggestion automatically, and since he no longer had anyone to run commentary with, Kakeru also turned around after shrugging his shoulders and winking at his silver-haired friend.

"Why is he here again?" Kyo muttered, glaring at the dark-haired teen in front of him.

"You've only yourself to blame, stupid Cat; it's _your_ celebration banquet we're all heading to…"

"Yeah, like I asked for the damn thing!" Kyo snarled. "Where's all our camping supplies, anyway?!"

"You expected me to bring your stuff back?" Yuki inquired dryly.

"Don't try and pass it off as me being stupid," Kyo shot back. "I don't see your stuff anywhere, either!"

"…I didn't exactly have a chance to collect the stuff. Nii-san and Manabe are a rather disorienting pair, to put it mildly." Yuki muttered, deciding just to tell the truth.

Kyo snorted.

"We can go back and get the stuff later; it's not like our campsite is gonna go anywhere!" Yuki grumbled.

"Hmph." Kyo grunted. Both teens were grateful that they'd finally reached the front door of Kazuma's house.

"Yuki…?" Shigure called out abruptly from behind the two teens. "…Aren't those Kyo's pants you're wearing?"

An eternity of a second filled with silence ensued, during which Yuki felt his face flushing harder than he could ever remember it flushing before. Kyo's face was only a shade lighter than his cousin's. Eight pairs of eyes bored expectantly into the Rat's body, waiting curiously for an answer.

**Haha, well, it's getting late, but I thought I'd upload this chapter before turning in for the night--hope ya enjoyed it! I'll write and upload the next one hopefully tomorrow. Review and tell me what ya think! **

**~WhitePhantom88**


	8. Unexpected

_WhitePhantom88: Hm...it seems the last chapter and this one are a bit longer than normal (well, this one's way longer). But I couldn't seem to find a good place to cut them off, so they'll have to stay as they are! Haha, I hope you enjoy! Oh, and thanks to all who have reviewed! :)_

_**~Hidden Addiction~**_

_**:Unexpected:**_

"I--uh…" Yuki stuttered, trying to calm his frantic thoughts and formulate some sort of answer.

"Welcome all!" The jubilant voice of the silver-haired teen's former teacher rang out over the still-silent congregation of relatives and friends. "I am so thrilled you could come! Don't just stand there; come in, come in!!"

"Shishou--" Kyo began, relieved that his father-figure had saved him from a rather embarrassing situation (why _had _Yuki worn his pants, anyway?), but also apprehensive about the whole celebratory banquet.

"And here's the man of the hour!" Pulling his orange-haired charge into a fatherly hug, Kazuma ruffled the crimson-eyed teen's hair fondly. "Congratulations, Kyo!"

"Thanks…" Kyo mumbled into the folds of his Shishou's robes.

"Kyo-oo!" Another voice rang out from the inner rooms of the karate master's house. Thunderous footsteps came closer. "Congratulations, Kyo!" Kagura appeared next to Kazuma, eyes shining brightly, arms outstretched for a hug.

"Kagura--?" Kyo asked, not exactly sure why he was surprised; of course the Boar would be there…

"Mmm!" His dark-haired cousin answered happily, drawing the crimson-eyed teen into a brisk hug.

"Kyo-kun, congratulations!" A familiarly sweet voice caught the Cat's ears, and he looked up to see Tohru. His heart skipped a beat. Why was she here?

"Thanks…" Kyo replied, semi-awkwardly, trying to release himself from Kagura's increasingly tight hold.

"I was very happy to find that Kyo-kun's dream job was becoming a reality!" Tohru continued, smiling warmly.

"Yeah…" Kyo muttered, still struggling with the Boar's hold.

"Come on, Tohru; let's go see if Saki-chan needs any help in the kitchen." Momiji spoke up, taking the dark-eyed girl by the hand. "I'm sure she'll be overwhelmed, cooking for so many people."

"Eh? Oh, yes, good idea!" Blushing slightly, Tohru followed the burnished-gold haired teen back into the inner rooms of the house.

"…Can Hanajima even cook?" Kyo muttered to himself.

"She can do a few basic things." Kagura answered, finally loosening her grip on the crimson-eyed teen. "But Tohru-chan and I have been doing most of the work." The dark-haired young woman looked up at her cousin and winked. "We don't mind, of course."

"If you three aren't going to enter the house, at least step aside so the rest of us can." Hiro crossed his arms, glaring expectantly at Kagura, Kyo, and Kazuma.

"Why, you--!" Kyo began, before Kazuma's laugh cut him off.

"Of course, of course; how thoughtless of me! Wasn't I the one who was urging you to enter moments ago? And to think I was blocking the entrance the whole time!" Stepping aside and bowing slightly, Kazuma extended an arm and gestured his guests inside.

"Damn brat…" Kyo muttered, punching the chestnut-haired preteen lightly on the head.

"Ow! Stupid Cat! No wonder you weren't allowed to the banquets before--you haven't got any manners at all!"

"H-Hiro-chan!" Kisa reproached softly.

"It is _most _rude to offend the guest of honor." Kazuma chimed in, smiling coldly at the chestnut-haired preteen.

"This is ridiculous…" Hiro muttered, but refrained from commenting further. Taking hold of Kisa's wrist, he led his cousin into the house.

"A most simple but elegant abode, Kazuma-dono!" Ayame surveyed the house as he followed his younger cousins in.

"Thank you." Kazuma smiled. "I like it."

"Yes, it is very nice!" Ritsu piped up, following behind the platinum-haired Snake.

"Aaya, it looks like you've acquired a shadow for the day…" Shigure observed as he removed his shoes and followed the others.

"Try not to be jealous, Gure-san!" Ayame called back, laughing.

"I apologize in advance." Hatori sighed, removing his shoes and entering the house. "Thank you for inviting us all, though. I only hope you don't regret it."

"It is my pleasure." Kazuma reassured his relative, waving away the apology. "Besides, it's considered an honor to host the Zodiac at one's house. I should thank you all for coming."

Hatori gave the kindly karate teacher an amused glance. Kazuma was obviously on an emotional high, saying anything that passed through his mind.

"We're not exactly the Zodiac anymore…" Hatori pointed out.

"Not exactly, no…but if you'll excuse my bluntness, the Zodiac _does _still live on in the thirteen of you…at least, for now." Kazuma smiled.

"Oh?" Hatori murmured, features twisting into a slightly surprised look. Kazuma had never had any real 'lessons' about the Zodiac, the spirits, or the human psyche…Hatori had spent most of his life studying such things--his role as the Zodiac doctor required it. Even so, he barely understood the precarious transition stage he and his fellow formerly-cursed relatives were now undergoing…How could Kazuma know _anything _about it?

_**Crash!**_

"I-I'm sorry! I'm soooo sorry! I'll apologize to the whole world!" Ritsu's voice carried to where the two men stood, muffled but distinct.

"Aha-ha-ha-ha-ha!" A familiarly over-confident laugh rang out. "Don't worry, Ritsu! T'was of little value, I'm sure! Most importantly, be thankful that my splendid being was not in the least bit harmed!"

"Kazuma-dono shouldn't be too angry, I imagine." Shigure quipped lightly.

"…Tell me again why they're considered adults and we're considered kids?" Hiro asked crossly.

"Well, if you'll excuse me…" Hatori cleared his throat, glancing at the karate master apologetically.

"Ah, yes, yes; of course…I'll come along too, actually…a good host doesn't leave his guests unmonitored for long, after all!" Laughing, Kazuma followed Hatori into the house.

"…I should go and see if they need any more help in the kitchen…" Kagura spoke up, breaking the momentary silence. "I'll see you inside!" Squeezing Kyo's hand, the dark haired girl waved at Yuki and Manabe. "You, too, Yun-chan, Manabe-kun!"

"I actually won't be staying for the meal, but thanks anyway--it was nice to meet you!" Kakeru replied, waving back.

"That's too bad; you should come over and eat some other time, then!" Kagura replied, disappearing into the inner rooms of the house.

"Just like her, to invite someone over to someone else's house…" Kyo muttered, running a hand through his hair.

"She seems like a great girl to me." Kakeru shrugged.

"Yeah? You can have her, then." Kyo replied caustically, slipping out of his shoes and heading into the house.

"…I guess we should go inside as well." Yuki observed.

"Yeah, okay." Kakeru agreed.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

"Don't you want to join the fun?" Shigure asked, leaning against the doorframe and looking intently at the pale-skinned, dark-haired young woman sitting by herself in an out of the way room. It was strange, to see her in a dress after all the years she'd spent in men's clothing…

"Hn…" Akito replied, rising to her feet. "I guess…I do want to join them…it just feels so _odd_, going out there and interacting with them all, after so many years of watching from a distance, you know?"

"I wouldn't know anything about that particularly, but I do have some idea of the struggle you're enduring." Shigure smiled, extending a hand to the younger one. "After all, I'm going through something similar."

"I'm not even sure what is _me_and what is remnants of 'god'." Akito observed as she allowed Shigure to lead her toward the main room.

" 'God' wanted to be detached…you want to join." Shigure answered easily. "…'god' enjoyed messing with other peoples' lives…but I think you still like doing that, too." Here, the dark-haired novelist turned to smile at his shorter comrade. "As it so happens, I find that pastime amusing as well. So, if you want to have a little fun with me…?" Raising his eyebrows in an enticing manner, Shigure paused.

"Tell me." Akito demanded, a smile gracing her delicate lips. Laughing softly, Shigure bent down to whisper in her ear.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

"Your family sure is lively!" Kakeru observed as he watched his silver-haired friend's relatives engage in multiple arguments and vivacious conversations.

"Yeah…" Yuki agreed, silently apologizing to his former Shihan for the destructive tendencies of his extended family.

"I bet family reunions are the best!" Kakeru continued.

"I'm sure you'd enjoy them." Yuki responded dryly, suddenly distracted by the fact that Kyo was no where in sight. 'Typical' Yuki thought, 'Even as a guest of honor, the stupid Cat has to go stray off…he really doesn't ever think of anything but himself.'

"_Shitake mushrooms_, is that really the time?!"

Jumping a little at the sound of Kakeru's raised voice, Yuki glanced at the clock. A quarter to four.

"Uh…yeah?"

"I should start heading out…"

"Oh…okay. Well, thanks for coming." Yuki walked his friend toward the front door. He didn't understand why, but Yuki was always slightly sad to see his friend leave, even though the dark-haired teen more often annoyed the violet-eyed Rat than pleased him.

"Manabe…" Yuki suddenly spoke as they reached the front door, catching his dark-haired friend's sleeve. "…How's Machi doing?"

"She's been destroying things a lot." Kakeru answered simply, scratching his head as though trying to remember in greater detail. "But she's also hanging out with people more…if I'm not careful, she may even become more popular than me!"

"Really?" Yuki asked, surprised.

"Well, I might have been exaggerating a bit."

"…Of course."

"But she's got her own group of friends now, and I hear the Freshmen really look up to her. I think your dumping her awoke a fighting spirit--she's trying to get something of her own now…you showed her there was something likable about her, and now she's developing it on her own…finding herself, I guess you could say." Kakeru smiled warmly at the thought. "I think it's a good thing. But, hey, Yuki…I do understand why you dumped her."

"You do…?" Yuki inquired incredulously.

"Yeah…I mean, you're much too nice a guy to lead a girl on when you're really in love with her brother." Kakeru dodged the anticipated swing of Yuki's fist. "Oh, Yun-Yun! I don't do abusive relationships!" Laughing, Kakeru stuck his hands in his pockets.

"That's what I'm banking on."

"Ha-ha, you're always so cold!" Kakeru shook his head, before looking his silver-haired friend in the eye. "Seriously, though…you're way too confused to be in a functional relationship right now."

"Excuse--?" Yuki began, blinking rapidly.

The sound of a cell-phone alarm cut him off.

"Aw crap!" Kakeru pulled his phone out. "Sorry, Yun-Yun, but I _really _have to go! My boss is gonna kill me!"

"But--" Yuki began.

"Call me!" Winking, Kakeru gave a lazy salute as he dashed toward the front door, grabbing his shoes on his way out and not even pausing to put them on.

"Ow, ow, ow, ow, ow…" The dark-haired boy's complaints slowly faded into the distance as Kakeru disappeared from sight.

"He really should have put his shoes on." Yuki observed to no one in particular.

Pulling out his own cell phone, Yuki sighed. There was no way he could breach that whole conversation with the dark-haired boy again. Definitely not on the phone…what could the dark-haired trouble-maker really know, anyway?

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Momiji glanced sideways at the dark-haired girl beside him.

Stupid Cat.

Normally the burnished-gold haired teen rather liked his crimson-eyed cousin. Kyo could be socially awkward at times, but he was also generally nice to people. He put up a tough front, of course, but if you happened to be anyone else besides the Rat, he wouldn't really do anything mean to you.

Tohru had seen this in the Cat; she had known he was really a nice young man. Naturally, she'd wanted to bring out the gentler side of the wild teen…it was the sort of thing Momiji found himself compelled to do at times. Tohru was always willing to help other people; she never really thought about herself…she'd been swept up in the tidal wave of 'freeing Kyo', and before either of them had known it, they'd come to the point where it seemed natural they should be 'involved'.

But now that the curse was broken, the crimson-eyed teen was spell-bound by all the possibilities that lay before him. He didn't know what he wanted. And now that Kyo no longer needed 'saving'…now that the Cat was on the same playing field as everyone else…Tohru no longer felt compelled to stay by his side. She'd been lost, not knowing what to do, or who to save next. Momiji had taken things into his own hands.

She didn't need to 'save' anyone anymore.

She needed to live a normal life for once.

The Cat didn't know what he wanted; he never had more than the vaguest idea of what he wanted…

Momiji knew exactly what he wanted. And those things were generally hard to get…his father was still unwilling to risk the health of his mother and sister…his violin had only just recently come out of it's closet…Tohru was still trying to figure out how she felt and what she wanted.

He may look like a sweet, kindly teenager, but Momiji admitted to himself that he had a merciless will…he'd get what he wanted, no matter how long it took. Although, lately, his patience had been running thinner…

Stupid Cat.

If the crimson-eyed fool had been more careful about how he'd let Tohru down, then the dark-haired girl would have probably already moved on by now. But no; Kyo had to act as though he wasn't really upset about not really caring for Tohru the way he'd thought he had…and now Tohru felt confused. Who wouldn't? The way Kyo had acted, it was like Tohru had been a person he'd merely used for a bit, in order to break the curse, achieve his freedom, and then move on. A toy and a tool.

Reluctantly, the Rabbit admitted that probably wasn't what the Cat had been doing at all.

But the golden-haired teen couldn't help feeling bitter towards the Cat. After all, it was because of the Cat that Tohru still wasn't exactly his…

And Momiji was getting tired of waiting.

"Momitchi, do you need any help over there?"

Kagura's voice shook the teen from his reverie.

"Mm, no! We've got it! Right, Tohru?" Turning to smile at the dark-haired girl, Momiji rejoiced inside when the girl returned his enthusiasm.

"Right!"

"Well, then I'm going to go out and see what the others are up to." Kagura waved a hand before heading out of the kitchen.

"It smells very good." Hanajima commented, glancing up from the cook book she was reading to compliment her two chefs.

"Thank you!" Tohru replied easily, sharing a smile with the blonde boy beside her.

Momiji felt his heart soar. Maybe he could ease up on the Cat…just a little.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Kyo lay stretched out on the roof.

So it wasn't the best place to hide.

But it was the best place to gain a bit of control over himself.

And he was going to need all the control he could muster.

Especially since there really was no way out of it now.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Yuki was still standing at the entrance of the house, lost in thought.

"Yun-chan?"

"Hn?" Shaking his head to clear his thoughts, the silver-haired teen turned to face his older cousin.

"What are you doing?" Kagura asked, coming to stand next to her violet-eyed cousin.

"Just thinking…and wondering where that stupid Cat went off to. He really hasn't got the smallest sense of etiquette. What guest of honor disappears on the host and the other guests?"

"…He's not thinking so much about the host and the guests…he's more concerned about the hostess, I suppose." Kagura murmured, half to herself.

"You mean Hanajima-san?" Yuki inquired, raising an eyebrow at the dark-haired girl. "I don't understand why he's so perturbed by her."

"Yun-chan wouldn't really understand…" Kagura smiled gently. "Because Yun-chan didn't have the same curse."

"What do you mean?" Tilting his head to the side, the silver-haired teen fixed his gaze on his dark-eyed cousin.

"Yun-chan was always looked at and admired…everyone loved you." Kagura pointed out softly. "It doesn't matter whether Yun-chan _thought_he should be looked at and admired--he was, regardless. And so Yun-chan got used to dealing with that. Kyo-kun…Kyo's always been ignored, disregarded, and hidden…very few wanted to look at him _at all_…of course, we all had things we wanted to hide, things we didn't want others to see…" Kagura paused for a second, eyes saddening. "But Kyo was treated as though almost everything about him was horrid…shameful…even now, he can't help but be afraid that if someone truly sees him, they'll immediately be disgusted."

"That's absurd…" Yuki muttered, eyes narrowing.

"But it isn't absurd…not for him." Kagura insisted, shaking her head. "He doesn't understand that most people hide things away--that even 'normal' people are afraid to let some things be seen…something like that doesn't even cross his mind. He's been living so long under the impression that the most ridiculous person alive is still a thousand times better than he is. And now that the curse is broken, he's even more afraid."

"Why on earth would he be even more afraid?" Yuki demanded, curious in spite of himself. Why did he care what the Cat felt or thought?

"Because now, if someone looks at him and truly sees him…and hates him…" Kagura turned to lock gazes with her younger cousin. "He knows he's got no one to blame but himself. No Cat Spirit making him that way…no Rat to blame for his circumstances…it's just him…responsible for everything he is, and everything he does. And that's a scary thing for anyone to realize, Yun-chan…"

"…So what does that have to do with Hanajima-san?" Yuki asked, looking away from his cousin. For some reason, it was hard to hold her gaze…

"Saki-chan has a very perceptive aura about her…" Kagura replied slowly, trying to pinpoint what it was about the dark-haired girl that made her seem so daunting. Shaking her head, Kagura gave up. "Whatever it is, however she does it, Saki-chan can see people very well--can see what they're like, I mean. And so right now, she's the kind of person that scares Kyo most. Especially since she's so close to Shihan…if Saki-chan gets the chance to truly see Kyo-kun, and then is disgusted by him, Kyo-kun is afraid that she'll turn Shihan against him, and that Kyo-kun will slowly lose everyone who's come to care for him."

"So that's why he's been avoiding her so much…ridiculous." Yuki murmured.

"It may seem that way to Yun-chan." Kagura agreed quietly. "But these fears are all very real for Kyo-kun. Just like there are very real fears that haunt Yun-chan."

"Hn…" Yuki replied indistinctly.

"…I used to think that once we were free of the Curse, everything would work out nicely." Kagura's voice had grown softer; Yuki had to strain his ears to hear her. "That we'd become just like a normal family…where we hardly ever saw one another, but went along with our normal lives, as relatively happy as the rest of the world seems to be." Kagura shook her head. "But…but now I-I'm so confused by it all…I almost hate this more than living under the Curse…this 'half-world'. We're free, Yun-chan…but it's so much harder--there's so much more effort involved, that I--!"

Burying her face in Yuki's chest, Kagura wrapped her arms around her younger cousin. Feeling the same overwhelming confusion starting to rise up inside of him, Yuki wound his arms around the quietly crying girl, rubbing her back in a soothing manner.

"I thought you said you'd never cheat on me…" A gently teasing voice cut through the relative silence, and Yuki felt Kagura stiffen in his arms.

Letting go of the silver-haired boy, Kagura quickly wiped at her face before smiling up at Yuki and mouthing a quick, silent 'Thank you'.

"Oh, Kyo-kun!" Turning with a smile on her face, Kagura ran over to the crimson-eyed teen, capturing his lanky frame in a hug. "I didn't know you cared!"

"I don't…" Kyo protested, trying once more to free himself from the older girl's grip. Managing to loosen her hold a bit, Kyo caught sight of her face. "Hey, were you crying?"

"Dinner is served." A cool voice saved the Boar from having to answer, since Kyo's attention was immediately diverted to the dark-haired girl who'd just appeared. Feeling the crimson-eyed teen stiffen in her arms, Kagura let her cousin go.

"Oh, Saki-chan! You shouldn't have done it all without asking me to help!" Grabbing the other girl's wrist, Kagura pulled her back into the house. "Are you sure there isn't anything else I can do? Napkins, chopsticks--drinks, perhaps?" Kagura's overly-cheerful voice faded as the two girls disappeared into the house.

"You really should be nicer to her." Yuki observed coldly as he headed toward the dining room. "She really does care about you."

"So says the Rat who drove the Ox away…" Kyo countered irately, following his cousin. "Haru and Rin aren't coming, you know."

"Don't act like you'll miss them, Cat." Yuki replied icily as they entered the dining area. "You'd be all too glad if nobody had shown up at all, remember?"

"Shall we begin?" Kazuma asked, looking pointedly at the two squabbling teens.

"Ah--yeah." Kyo muttered, taking his seat next to the karate master.

Yuki took the last remaining spot, in-between Momiji and Hiro. The silver-haired boy was just thankful he didn't have to sit next to anyone too terribly obnoxious.

"Thanks for the food!"

Immediately, the table was filled with the clanking of chopsticks and the occasional, good-natured protest as the Sohmas, Tohru, and Saki Hanajima cramming their respective plates with food.

"I hope you do not mind that I didn't save you a place at my side, dear brother…" Ayame smiled at the silver-haired boy directly across the table from him. "But t'would be a shame for the Mabudachi Trio to sit at a banquet where they were separated. Still, you should not fret, _mon frere_, for tonight I shall not sleep unless your precious head is pressed tightly to my manly bosom!"

"You'll be sleeping in a graveyard if you try any such thing." Yuki muttered shaking his head.

"Aaya is always so predictable…" Momiji observed, smiling warmly at the platinum-haired man.

"If by predictable you mean annoying, I'd agree with the Rabbit." Hiro muttered, crossing his arms.

"Attention, please!" Kazuma rose to his knees, tapping a chopstick against his glass. "Attention!"

"Shishou--!" Kyo protested.

"Oh, come on, Kyo-kun! It's only natural!" Kagura teased, placing a hand on her cousin's arm.

Silence descended on the table for a moment, and knowing better than let even a second pass, Kazuma snatched his chance.

"This wonderful meal is, as you know, in honor of my own son, who has been offered a teaching job overseas. Though I will miss him greatly, I can find only happiness in seeing him achieve what he's dreamed of since he was a child…so though this parting is bitter-sweet, I would not have it any other way." Pausing, Kazuma frowned slightly. "Hm…Kyo? How should I close this speech?"

"If you don't know how to give a proper speech, don't bother trying at all!" Kyo snapped, his cheeks aflame.

"Ha-ha! But I really felt like I could do it!" Kazuma smiled. "I suppose now I should ask you all to join me in a toast to my son's happiness! _Kompai!_"

"_Kompai!_" Eleven voices chorused, raising their glasses.

"As the head of the family," Akito began, her voice still authoritative but more gentle than it had been. "I would like to say a few words as well…may I?"

"Of course, Akito-san." Kazuma replied warmly, bowing slightly as he sat back down.

"Kyo…no one could be more proud of you than I. With the exception of your father, of course." Akito threw a smile at the karate master beside her. "As the head of the family, I have done things in the past that have…hindered. Now, I should like to help. And so I have come to the decision that the Sohma main house will pay for your living expenses until you have earned enough to start supporting yourself…for I know it is important to you, that you do things on your own, by your own strength."

A murmur of surprise and approval rippled through the dinner party.

"I also think it would be a good idea for you to head to America a week or two before your job actually starts, so that you might familiarize yourself with the area you are to inhabit. Also, if I'm not mistaken, you'll want to work on your English…and they say the best way to learn a language is to emerge yourself in it. The main house is willing to pay for this, also."

"I--I don't think that'll be necessary." Kyo spoke up, his face still flushed from all the attention he'd received. The unexpected kindness on Akito's part was also surprising. True, the family head had become much more civil and kindly as of late, but it was still jarring every time Akito showed her new side.

"Oh?" Akito asked. "Don't worry--we weren't going to send you off without someone to keep you company and help you with your English, especially. From what I hear, your English is abysmal…"

"It's true, it's true…" Shigure nodded sagely. "As a novelist who writes in two languages, one of which is English, I can personally vouch for the fact that Kyon-Kyon's English is, in a word, abysmal."

"No one asked you, Dog!" Kyo snapped, suspicions roused. Akito and Shigure were up to something…

"Be that as it may, the fact remains--you need help. How are you going to teach your students if they don't understand a word you say?" Shigure smiled calmly.

"It _is_a good idea…" Hatori spoke up, much to the surprise of everyone present.

"Wha--?" Kyo sputtered.

"They have a valid point." Kazuma added, stroking his chin. "I would advise you to consider their proposition, Kyo."

"Fine! I'll accept financial support from the main house, but only until I can pay my own way! And I'll take along the stupid English tutor, as well…" Even though the crimson-eyed teen was still suspicious, he couldn't deny the fact that Akito and the others had a point. He was terrible at English…

Besides, the sooner he agreed, the sooner they'd leave him alone, the sooner he could get away from all these prying eyes…

"Good. Yuki, start packing your bags." Akito smiled infinitesimally, waiting for the averse reaction she knew was coming.

"_**Say what?!**_" Kyo demanded as the silver-haired Rat backwashed into his cup and doubled over in a coughing fit.

"Just a second! I never agreed to any of this!" Yuki protested, slamming his cup down on the table and glaring at Akito.

"Why not do it, Yuki? He's family. Surely you can help family." Akito stared impassively at the silver-haired teen, and although Yuki knew the curse was no longer there--that Akito was no longer 'god'-- he could feel his resistance fading. Why did Akito still arouse a paralyzing sense of fear in him? Why was he so damn eager to please…?

"I have to go to college…"

"Yes. A college that so happens to be in the same city as Kyo's dojo."

Yuki glared at the crimson-eyed teen, who scowled back as if to say, 'don't even _try_ and blame that on me!'

"I have to get ready for college…books and stuff, and…"

"You can do that easily in the apartment you'll be sharing with Kyo. After all, Yuki, this whole ordeal will cost you nothing; in fact, you'll be paid for the lessons you give Kyo--which will only take two hours out of every day--and you'll get a head start on your college life. A win-win situation all around. Why not take advantage of it?" Akito raised an eyebrow. "I'm only trying to help…"

"There's really no reason to turn it down…" Shigure pointed out lazily.

"Unless…do you still hate Kyo?" Akito asked quietly, shooting the violet-eyed teen an inquiring look.

"I--!" Yuki began, before pausing. He could see Kazuma shift uncomfortably in his peripheral vision.

He didn't hate Kyo.

He didn't know if he _liked_Kyo, but he didn't hate Kyo.

"As the head of the family, it's my duty to coordinate peace between family members." Akito continued, her voice soft and almost gentle. "If you and Kyo are still entangled in such a monumental feud, I'm afraid my suggestion will become a direct order. Further, I shall have to insist that your cohabitation continue until the feud is resolved. So, basically…" Akito smiled coldly. "There's really no way out of my little proposition. Especially since neither of you can survive without the main house's support."

"…So when do we leave?" Yuki asked icily, resigned to the trap his elder relatives had set.

"The day after tomorrow." Akito replied simply, picking up her chopsticks again.

"What?!" Kyo demanded again, incredulous.

"Your job and Yuki's school both start at the same time--a week from tomorrow. Don't worry; you'll have plenty of time to settle in."

"They do?!" Both teens cried as one, before glaring at each other.

"Yes." Akito affirmed, arching an eyebrow.

"Most people would have known…" Yuki heard Hiro mutter beside him. Usually the Rat was exceptional at keeping appointments…but so much had happened lately, he'd completely forgotten how soon his new school-term started.

The Cat was hopeless at remembering dates, so this particular oversight really didn't surprise the violet-eyed teen.

"By the way, Yuki…" Shigure piped up, his eyes glittering playfully while his face was set in a mock-serious expression. "You never did get around to answering my question…why are you wearing Kyo's pants?"

"…It's the stupid Cat's fault; he forgot to bring a tent."

"It's not my fault you can't tell my clothes from yours when you're in that stupid sleep-walking faze!"

"So it's my fault that you're a completely incompetent teacher?"

"Not to be picky or anything…" Shigure cut in. "But that really doesn't answer the question."

"My newest _shihan_ forgot to bring his own tent, so he had to share mine…"

"But the stupid Rat can't wake up until around _noon_ everyday…and since I refuse to waste half of every day sleeping…"

"The stupid Cat left to go train by himself, and…"

"The stupid Rat got dressed while still half asleep, so…"

"So Yuki ended up in Kyo's pants!" Momiji finished smugly.

"Don't say it like that!" Kyo snapped, leaning forward to glare at the blonde teen sitting a few spaces down.

"We were 'found' soon after, and brought back here." Yuki continued, trying not to lose his cool. "I never really had a chance to change."

"Wow. We should put you two together more often." Shigure smiled.

"They are quite an entertaining pair, are they not?" Ayame observed, resting his face on his hand as he studied his younger brother and his crimson-eyed cousin.

"I do look forward to your letters from America, Kyo." Kazuma added innocently. "They are sure to be interesting!"

"Shishou!"

"Hm?" Kazuma asked, smiling.

"What do you think, Kisa? Should we take bets on how long those two will last under the same roof, with no intermediary?" Hiro turned to his golden-red haired cousin, smiling smugly.

"Ha-ha…" Kisa laughed softly.

"I'll place five thousand yen on them lasting no more than two weeks." Hatori smiled, pulling out his wallet.

"I'll match his price, but I think they'll only last half a week!" Shigure laughed, pulling out his own wallet.

"Very funny!" Kyo scowled.

"Shut up, stupid Cat--this is the first beneficial thing you've done." Hiro eagerly held his hand out to collect his older cousins' money.

"You know you're going to have to give us a cut, Hiro…" Yuki pointed out, smiling coldly at his mercenary relation.

"Don't get your hopes up, Rat."

"H-Hiro-chan!"

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

The banquet was finally over.

After saying goodbye to everyone, Kyo let out a sigh of relief, blowing stray hairs from his face.

That had been torture, pure and simple.

The only ones left now were Shishou, Hanajima, Shigure, Akito, Yuki, and himself.

"I won't be coming home tonight, boys, so don't bother waiting up for me!" The Dog waved cheerfully at the two disgruntled teens before he walked out the front door, Akito by his side.

"Like we were going to…" Kyo muttered to himself.

"We should probably get going…" Yuki ran a pale hand through his silky hair, letting it fall haphazardly through his fingers.

The two teens locked gazes for a second, before looking hurriedly away.

"Thanks for inviting me over to the delicious meal, Shihan…" Yuki smiled at his former teacher. Kazuma nodded in response. "And thank you, as well, Hanajima-san. It was delicious." Yuki smiled at his former classmate as well.

"It was my pleasure." Smiling passively, Hanajima accepted the compliment.

Kyo snorted. It was just like the dark-haired girl to accept thanks for something she hadn't really done…

Dark eyes flickered over to where the crimson-eyed teen stood.

"See you around Shishou." Kyo said abruptly, waving at his father-figure. "And…thanks. For embarrassing the hell out of me."

"Anytime." Kazuma chuckled softly, reaching out to tussle his adopted son's hair.

"Yeah, yeah…" Kyo muttered, smiling in spite of himself.

"Kyo-kun…" Hanajima spoke up. Kyo tensed.

"…I wish you only the best in America. I know you will do splendidly." Hanajima smiled slightly. "And if your students give you trouble, do not hesitate to call me…I have many things that I can do to them…many things…"

"Yeah, uh--thanks. You, too…good luck, I mean. See ya!" Shoving his feet into his shoes, Kyo darted out the door.

"Goodbye, then." Yuki slipped his own shoes on and followed his crimson-eyed _cousin into the night._

"…I still don't understand why you family refers to each other as animals." Hanajima pointed out to Kazuma.

"You might someday." Kazuma replied, shutting his front door after watching the two teens disappear into the darkness outside. "Don't you think it was a bit like a zoo at dinner tonight?"

"It was lively." Hanajima replied. "And unexpected. But it was not unpleasant."

"True."

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

The two teenage cousins entered the house silently, neither speaking as they both prepared for bed and settled down for the night.

Kyo spent hours tossing in his bed, before climbing out of his window and onto the roof.

Today had been disastrous.

Not only had he and the Rat been put under considerable stress from their flamboyant, anything-but-normal, mischievous, trouble-making family, but the two of them had acted exactly as they had in the past.

Namely, they had indulged in a twisted addiction, and then hidden it from their family with the same act they'd concocted all those years ago.

And their act had been flawless.

Things were escalating to a point that Kyo had never expected they'd reach again.

And the crimson-eyed teen had no idea what he was going to do about it.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Yuki lay awake in his bed, gaze fixed on the full moon outside of his window.

He never thought he'd be in this predicament again.

He never thought he'd have to make another choice like this.

He hadn't expected this at all.

**I hope that this chapter didn't get long/boring/confusing or anything--if it did, let me know! The next few chapters should be more simple, in that they'll have a lot less characters. I'll try and upload another chapter tomorrow--it's my goal to get this whole story done before I'm shipped off to school again, and don't have time to write for fun! So, basically, that gives me about a week...the pressure's on! Until the next chapter, then,**

**~WhitePhantom88**


	9. Flight

_WhitePhantom88: So even though the chapters are a bit longer, for some reason these last few chapters have been a bit harder to write...they just don't flow as easily as the others did...so, in short, sorry it's been taking me a bit to upload them, and sorry they've gone down a bit in quality! Things are going to pick up soon, though (and that should make the writing easier -- transition/filler chapters are the worst!), so if you'll bear with me...haha, anyway, here's the next one:_

_**~Hidden Addiction~**_

_**:Flight:**_

Kyo opened his bedroom door to find a pair of cargo pants folded on the floor.

Scowling, the crimson-eyed Cat kicked them into his room before heading toward the stairwell. He paused by Yuki's room, listening to the sounds of agitated rummaging, small thumps, and muttering. The lanky teen considered finding out what the Rat was doing, but decided against it. His silver-haired cousin was particular about his privacy; he didn't appreciate people prying. And Kyo was too hungry to deal with a cranky Rat at the moment. Continuing down the stairs to the kitchen, the crimson-eyed teen let his thoughts wander to food.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Yuki snapped his suitcase shut. His face, it seemed, was set in a permanent scowl. His lanky, orange-haired, crimson-eyed cousin was driving him absolutely insane. Sitting down in the midst of his chaotic room, Yuki ran an agitated hand through his hair, letting the silky strands fall haphazardly through his slender fingers. Kyo and he hadn't been able to resolve the little…_incident _in the mountains. True, his memories were still foggy as far as _that _night was concerned, but Yuki was pretty certain he'd made at least one advance on his cousin…and that Kyo had more than reciprocated…

It had been raining.

They had both been _way_ out of it.

They could just leave it at that, couldn't they?

Rising to his feet and placing his hands on his hips, Yuki blew his bangs out of his face. He had a sinking feeling that there was no way they could leave it at that.

Especially not when they had to share an apartment.

His thoughts coming full circle, the silver-haired teen began packing his belongings again.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Kyo stood by the stove, watching through unseeing eyes as his egg-and-rice breakfast slowly cooked.

So he was leaving for a foreign country the next day. He was going to start a new job a mere week later. A job where everything he said had to be in a foreign language. A foreign language he had only one week to perfect. A foreign language he, to be frank, _sucked_ at…

But that wasn't all. Oh, no…as it turns out, his only chance to perfect that stupid language called English, was to be tutored by a certain silver-haired, violet-eyed, slender teenaged cousin. A cousin he had rather _mixed_ feelings about, to put it mildly. A cousin he'd have to live with…in a land where, for at least the first few days, Kyo would be totally dependant on the Rat.

This thought, hitting the crimson-eyed teen full force for the first time, caused the lanky teen to lash out in agitation. His fist made contact with the small window over the stove, and Kyo blinked at the cracked glass.

"Hn…I thought maybe Shigure had come back, but it's only you." A detached voice observed. Kyo glanced toward the entranceway. His silver-haired cousin was leaning against the doorframe, arms crossed.

"You shouldn't just stand there stupidly staring at me…" Yuki continued, making his way over to the table and sitting down. "Hurry up and bandage your hand, before you drip even more blood everywhere. I'd offer to help, but..." The Rat smiled coldly. "I'm no good at that sort of thing."

" Oh, shut up…" Kyo muttered, shoving his hand under the faucet and rinsing his hand clean before pulling a few bandages from the medicine cabinet and wrapping his hand up. Sweeping the shards of glass over to the trashcan, Kyo proceeded to turn the stove off and poured his breakfast onto a plate. Grabbing a pair of chopsticks, the crimson-eyed teen sat down and began to eat.

"No spectacularly biting comebacks today?" Yuki asked sweetly, eyes narrowing. "I thought you'd been developing a bit of a brain, Stupid Cat, but it must have been a series of flukes these past few days."

"What is your problem?" Kyo snapped, feeling his appetite dying down.

"You really are stupid, aren't you?" Yuki asked in a disgusted voice. "Look in the mirror…my problem hasn't changed for the past nineteen years."

"Damn Rat!" Kyo slammed his chopsticks down on the table. "Why--!"

The sound of a door slamming open startled both teens.

"Yuki-kun! Kyo-kun!" The annoyingly cheerful voice of the Dog rang through the now-silent house. "Ah, there you are." Shigure wandered into the kitchen, a smile on his face. "I trust you two haven't gotten into too many fights while I was gone?"

"Give us a little credit…" Yuki turned to look coldly at the dark-haired novelist. "I'm going to finish packing."

"Oh, that's right! You two are leaving tomorrow, aren't you?" Shigure frowned thoughtfully. "Nn. I suppose I really should look into selling this house, then."

"What?" Kyo asked, rising from the table and placing his mostly-untouched plate on the kitchen counter; there was no way he'd be able to eat now. Yuki had paused by the door, waiting to hear the rest of the conversation, a slightly surprised look gracing his features.

"Well, you two won't be living here anymore, and I'm spending most of my time at the main estate these days…half of my belongings already have permanent residence in the main house."

"What about Tohru?" Kyo pointed out, leaning against the counter and looking pointedly at his older cousin.

"She wouldn't be happy staying here, would she?" Shigure asked calmly. "You both will be gone, I'm barely ever here…she'd be staying in an empty house. Besides, Momitchi offered to let her stay at his place. He does have his own house, after all…"

"I thought he was staying with Hatori." Yuki spoke up, turning around and reluctantly entering the conversation.

"Hn? Momitchi moved out of Ha-san's place at least a month ago, Yuki-kun…you didn't know that?" Shigure quirked an eyebrow at the silver-haired boy. "I thought you and Momitchi were fairly close…"

"Not particularly." Yuki replied, turning to leave again.

"…Yuki-kun…" Shigure called softly. The violet-eyed teen paused, an exasperated sigh escaping his lips.

He was taken completely by surprise when the dark-haired novelist pulled him into an hug and dragged the silver-haired teen over to where his crimson-eyed cousin stood, shocked. Grabbing Kyo's arm and yanking him into the embrace, Shigure laughed.

"Usually I'm not much of a sentimentalist, but…" His voice was gentle and genuine for a split second before his usual, mock-emotional tone returned. "I'm going to miss you both! You've been like little brothers to me!"

The sudden shift back to the normal shook Yuki and Kyo from their momentary shock.

"Let go of me!" Kyo snapped, shoving the novelist off and backing away.

"Disgusting…" Yuki wriggled loose from the Dog's grasp, dusting off imaginary grime. "Now I'll have to shower before I finish packing…"

"Ha-ha-ha!" Shigure laughed. "I'm going to miss messing with you two as well!" Smiling at the disgruntled pair before him, the dark-eyed writer shrugged his shoulders. "I'm off again! Try and behave! Oh, and make sure you two break off that whole 'arrangement' in America after half a week, okay? I don't want to lose five hundred yen to Ha-san!"

"Wasn't it five thousand yen?" Yuki asked dryly.

"Was it?" Shigure asked, wide-eyed. "In that case, you really can't let me lose!"

"I'm thinking a week and a half should be the perfect amount of time to spend in that apartment…" Kyo muttered.

"For once I agree with the Cat." Yuki added icily.

"You two always did have a knack for emptying my wallet…" Shigure whined. "I suppose it can't be helped…what will be, will be, after all! By the way Kyo-kun, repairs for the broken window will be charged directly from your account." Heading back toward the front door, Shigure paused. "Oh. I did tell you that most of the Zodiac will be by later today to bid you both a very fond goodbye, didn't I?"

"Great." Kyo groaned, shaking his head.

"He can't be serious!" Yuki muttered.

"Ha-ha!" Shigure laughed as he stepped outside.

"…Okay, that sounded kind of suspicious." Kyo murmured, throwing an amused glance at the Rat.

"I'm surprised you picked up on it." Yuki replied simply, turning to go.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

The silver-haired teen made his escape.

Sitting back in his room, Yuki sighed. He knew he was agitating his crimson-eyed cousin. In truth, he really didn't mean to be acting so much colder…but he couldn't act as though nothing was out of the ordinary. Only Kyo could do that…brush off everything and keep going as though nothing happened. Yuki either had to totally fall apart, or block himself completely off behind a wall of ice. And there was no way he was going to fall apart now.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Kyo stuffed his breakfast into the refrigerator for later. There was no way he could eat now.

The damn Rat had _completely_ spoiled his appetite.

And Kyo was mad as hell.

Stalking up the stairs and slamming the door to his room shut, the crimson-eyed teen yanked open his own suitcase and began rummaging through his belongings, grabbing whatever he thought he might need.

Who did the Rat think he was? The stupid Rat was _trying_ to pick a fight! The petty, silver-haired _prince_ was going to make things as hard as damn well could! Two could play at that game. True, his violet-eyed cousin was better equipped to survive in that stupid foreign country -- why had Kyo applied for a job _there_ of all places, anyway? -- but that didn't mean the crimson-eyed teen had to admit it to the Rat's face. If he could keep Yuki from knowing just how much he actually needed his help…

The façade wouldn't last long, Kyo admitted bitterly to himself, but at least it would save him from being humiliated for a _whole_ freakin' week. During which he'd learn English perfectly, even if it killed him. Which, now that he thought about it, would only be an improvement on his current hell of a life.

He wasn't supposed to have gotten the job in America, to begin with! The potential overseas employer was supposed to glance at his application, go 'Who the hell is this?', toss it in the garbage, and be done with it! Kyo had wanted to keep on working here, with Kazuma, until he could take over the dojo from his father-figure…well…now that he thought about it, that wouldn't happen for another twenty or so years; Kazuma was still young. So his plan had been flawed from the start.

But still.

His current predicament was solely the fault of his Shishou and the damn Rat. The former for forcing him to train the latter…the latter for needing training to begin with…

It was the Rat's fault. It was always the Rat's fault.

Kyo vaguely wondered what would happen if he ever managed to get free of his silver-haired bane.

He was surprised at how ardently he didn't want to find out.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Yuki had packed just about everything. Three suitcases in all, one of them a carry-on. The silver-haired boy was a bit surprised to find that all of his belongings fit so neatly into so few cases.

Was there anything else…?

His toothbrush.

Walking toward the restroom, Yuki paused when he caught sight of his crimson-eyed cousin's reflection in the lavatory mirror. Kyo had just picked up his own toothbrush, and was heading out of the bathing room when his gaze met Yuki's.

Silence.

"…What?"

Both teens glared even harder, slightly embarrassed to have spoken at the same exact moment.

The doorbell rang loudly, causing both teens to jump. Loud knocking and giggling followed, with the sound of several pairs of running feet ending the unexpected interruption.

"…What the hell?" Kyo asked, gaze shifting past his cousin and toward the stairwell. Yuki was looking over his shoulder as well, trying to figure out what the assorted sounds had meant.

"Strange…" The silver-haired teen murmured, turning toward the stairs and descending. He heard the soft, almost silent footsteps of his cousin behind him.

There was a large box sitting on the porch, suspiciously decorated with Zodiac animals.

"…"

The two teens stood staring at it, waiting for it to explode, implode, or cause destruction in some other way, shape, or form.

It just sat there.

"Opening the note should be safe, at least." Yuki finally broke the silence, reaching down and gracefully tugging loose the envelope that fluttered in a gentle breeze. "Dear Yun-chan and Kyo-kun…" The silver-haired teen began to read aloud. "Since it was pointed out that you two wouldn't appreciate well-wishers while you were packing for your new life, we have decided just to leave our parting gifts and a small note of farewell on your porch. We hope you appreciate our consideration for your comfort. Especially you, Yun-chan; keeping Ayame from barging into your house was quite a feat. (It wasn't any easier holding Kagura-nee back, either, Kyon-Kyon! ~Momitchi) Don't listen to him, Kyo-kun. I'm completely accepting of your choice to go far, far away and lead a life totally separate from mine. Most of us will, however, be making an appearance at the airport tomorrow. All the best, ~ Ayame, Shigure, Hatori, Kureno, Ritsu, Kagura, Isuzu, Hatsuharu, Momiji, Hiro, and Kisa Sohma. P.S. You can thank Hatori for holding back the mob -- Haru."

"The Dragon always was the only one with sense…" Kyo observed, taking the letter from his cousin and scanning it over.

"I guess it's easy to see what you don't have in others." Yuki replied snidely, kneeling down to warily open the box. Kyo crumpled the note in his fist.

"Okay, Rat…" The crimson-eyed teen began angrily.

"All the blue packages must be mine." Yuki interrupted, gathering twelve small boxes in his arms and walking past his seething cousin, up the stairwell, and into his room.

Kyo stood, paralyzed with anger for once in his life. There was no way this could continue. There was no way in hell Yuki was pulling this stunt twice…

Inhaling sharply and trying to stop the blood from pumping so vigorously through his veins, Kyo roughly picked up the box, containing his own twelve presents, and stalked into the living room. He began ripping the orange paper off of his gifts, taking small comfort in the action.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Yuki sat looking at his gifts. Clothes from Ayame. Books from Shigure, with a red envelope full of American money, compliments of Akito. A school-satchel from Hatori. Writing utensils from Kureno. A tie from Ritsu. A little stuffed rat-keychain from Kagura. An eraser from Rin. A camera from Haru. A photo album from Momiji. A wallet from Hiro. A travel-sized pillow from Kisa. And a small book on plants that grow well in America from Tohru.

He really didn't think he could risk becoming sentimental. Not when he was already so emotionally unstable.

But he felt his eyes pricking, and buried his face in his hands.

The Curse might be broken…but the bonds he had forged with these people wouldn't break so easily. Whether for better or for worse, the Curse had affected them all for the rest of their lives. Leaving that mysterious world they'd shared wouldn't be easy…if it was indeed possible.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Kyo stood, looking at the gifts spread over the living room table amid pieces of orange wrapping paper. Books from Shigure, and a red envelope with American money from Akito. Clothes from Ayame. A suitcase from Hatori. A wallet from Kureno. A belt from Ritsu. A little stuffed cat-keychain from Kagura…it had a tiny heart hidden behind its left ear. A _tiny_ bottle of ointment from Isuzu. A box of bandages from Haru. An address book from Momiji. A book of useful English phrases from Hiro…the brat. A travel-sized pillow from Kisa. And a small book of recipes from Tohru.

Sighing, the crimson-eyed teen ran his hand through his vibrant orange hair. He was really going to miss each and every one of them…he'd spent most of his life with those people, despite being 'ostracized'. There was a bond…a connection…that wouldn't break very easily at all.

Collecting the gifts and putting them in his new suitcase, Kyo trudged upstairs. His spirit, he felt, had never been heavier.

It was ironic to realize it the night before he left…

But he really _did_ love his screwed up family.

Even if he didn't always want to see their faces.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Yuki didn't leave his room for the rest of the day, save for once, later that evening. He walked into the town, appeasing his extremely irate stomach at an all-you-can-eat buffet.

Staring blankly at the one, lone _gyouza_ left on his plate, Yuki suddenly pinched the bridge of his nose between his thumb and forefinger. It wasn't any use, fleeing like this.

In truth, he would have been all too happy to see his multiple cousins…even his niisan…he'd have loved to have them filling the house with so many distractions. Then it would have seemed a lot less like he, the Prince of Rats, was running away…hiding in his little rat-hole of a room, listening intently every time the Cat stalked by.

He'd been extremely grateful for the distraction of the box…and grateful that at least he could pretend to be packing all day, though even an idiot like Kyo would realize the silver-haired teen couldn't possibly be packing enough to keep him busy for twelve hours straight.

But in the morning, he'd be trapped on an airplane with no where to hide, no where to flee…just flying to America with his lean, crimson-eyed, cousin.

The flight would be torture, plain and simple.

Rising from his seat and placing the tab on the table, Yuki walked slowly homeward. He wasn't sure eating had been such a good idea, after all; he was feeling sick.

He'd kept Kyo from realizing he held all the cards so far...

But he didn't know how much longer he could keep up this Ice-Prince mask.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Kyo lay awake in his bed, listening to the sound of the front door opening, and the almost-silent footsteps of his cousin sneaking back into his room.

He must have gone out to eat.

Kyo turned onto his side, facing the wall.

Damn Rat.

Closing his eyes, Kyo replayed the last week or so --had it only been that long? --in his mind. When had things started getting so damn messy? And when had the Rat started pulling back again? It was just like the silver-haired teen, to yank his emotions around without regard…

His thoughts were too jumbled, too restless, to come up with anything useful at the moment…

But he was too agitated to sleep.

Slipping silently out of bed, Kyo climbed out of his window and onto the roof. Laying on his back, he gazed up at the moon, emptying his mind of thought.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Yuki sat up abruptly, the sound of his alarm clock ringing in his ears. Shutting the annoying mechanism off, the silver-haired boy stretched, glancing at the time.

Four in the morning.

Forcing himself out of bed, the violet-eyed teen tossed his alarm clock into his one open suitcase, then dragged all three of his suitcases down to the front porch, where Hatori sat waiting in his car.

"Where's Kyo?" The pale-eyed doctor asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Hn?" Yuki mumbled, trying to think. It was hard. But he had the fuzzy impression that he'd never heard the Cat climbing down from the roof the night before. Lugging himself back into the house and up the stairs, Yuki hauled himself out of the Cat's window and onto the roof. Sure enough, the orange-haired teen lay curled up on his side, breathing slowly.

Yuki paused to watch him for a moment, partially because he was always a bit slow when he'd just woken up, and partially because a sort of fuzzy realization dawned on him: he'd never really seen Kyo asleep before. He looked a lot less guarded…gentler, and more at ease…but still with a certain kind of wild beauty about him.

This wasn't the time for a character study, Yuki reminded himself, a faint blush crossing his cheeks as he realized what he'd been thinking. Walking over to where his cousin lay, the violet-eyed teen prodded his cousin with the tip of his foot.

"Get up, stupid Cat. It's time to go." Not waiting for the lanky teen to respond, Yuki headed back toward the edge of the roof, down into the house, and out to Hatori's car.

"Stupid Rat…" Kyo muttered, stretching. He swung back into his room, grabbed his two bags, and headed down the stairwell. He was exhausted; he hadn't managed to get to sleep until only an hour before Yuki's cold foot had prodded him awake again.

At least he could sleep on the plane.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

The ride wasn't very long, but it was silent.

Hatori didn't speak until they had reached the airport. Yuki and Kyo weren't too keen on carrying a conversation.

"Don't forget to go through customs and security as soon as you can. The longer you wait, the more of a hassle it becomes. Don't forget to keep your green cards and student visas handy, as well. They'll probably want to see them several times. Keep your ID handy, too. Don't buy anything that looks suspicious--actually, just don't buy anything. You won't need it. And look out for each other. It's no joke, going to another country where you're unfamiliar with everything."

Yuki and Kyo simply listened to their older cousin, vaguely realizing that this must be Hatori's way of showing he cared and that he'd miss them, but both teens were too exhausted to really appreciate the Dragon's efforts.

"…Well, now that I've told you everything that you needed to know without having to deal with multiple interruptions, I suppose I should let the mob through." Pulling out his cell, the pale-eyed doctor pressed a button. "Haru? Yes. It's fine now. Let them come."

It went by in a daze for the two teens. Familiar voices, familiar faces, hugs, well-wishes, a few tears, and then they were gone…walking through security, checking in their luggage, waiting for the plane, checking their seat numbers…

It didn't seem real.

The boarding light flashed, and a friendly voice came over the intercom.

"Flight 112: Tokyo, Japan to Los Angeles, America now boarding."

Standing up and heading onto the plane, Yuki saw that his seat was right by the window. Stopping abruptly, he almost fell forward when his crimson-eyed cousin crashed into him.

"What is it?" Kyo asked irritably.

"Want to trade seats?" Yuki asked softly, turning to face his cousin and hating the way he knew his eyes betrayed his feelings.

"Why?" Kyo furrowed his eyebrows before glancing at their seats. "Oh. Sure."

Yuki tried to make as much space for Kyo to pass by as he could, but the airplane aisles were extremely narrow. A faint blush crossed the silver-haired teen's cheeks as his lanky cousin's body brushed past his own and collapsed gracefully into the window seat. Taking a deep breath, Yuki took the seat next to his cousin.

Of course their seats had to be next to each other. Akito had probably bought the tickets at the same time.

"Wake me up when they serve dinner." Kyo mumbled, pulling the small, travel-sized pillow Kisa had given him from under his arm and propping it against the window of the plane. Leaning against it, the crimson-eyed teen was asleep almost instantly.

"Yeah, whatever." Yuki muttered, knowing Kyo couldn't hear him anyway. He wasn't looking forward to eating…or even smelling food for that matter. He was actually really nervous. He wasn't terribly afraid of heights, but they weren't exactly his comfort zone, either. Striking out on his own in such a drastic way was what made him _really_ nervous…what if all the Americans hated him? What if he couldn't do well in his classes because his English was worse than he'd expected? Glancing at the deeply sleeping Cat beside him, Yuki felt a small smile cross his features. At least there would be something familiar…and hey, Kyo had hated him all their lives--it wasn't like Yuki was a _complete_ stranger to being disliked.

A rather humorous thought crossed the silver-haired teen's mind. Yuki would be attempting to learn things he'd never really dealt with before, in a language he felt fairly confident in. Kyo was going to teach something he knew like the back of his hand…but in a language he never really bothered to learn. They really were two sides of the same coin…exact opposites of each other. Some things would never change.

Somehow that thought was also comforting.

Hugging the small travel-pillow he'd received from Kisa, Yuki felt sleep tugging at his eyelids. Another passenger sat down on his other side, and Yuki vaguely noticed it was an attractive young woman, who smiled kindly at him. Smiling back out of habit, Yuki slipped out of consciousness and into a deep sleep.

The plane picked up speed and took off.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

"Uh…excuse me?"

Kyo blearily opened an eye to see what was going on. A young woman with stylishly cut hair and kind eyes was prodding Yuki's elbow. The silver-haired teen remained oblivious.

"He's a heavy sleeper." Kyo offered, stifling a yawn and trying to sit up straight. He couldn't. A mop of silky, silver hair lay on his shoulder, a slender body leaning against his side.

"Oh, I see…well, they're taking the dinner orders now, and I was just wondering if he wanted to eat." The young lady smiled apologetically. "It might not have been the most polite thing to do, now that I think about it."

"Ah, he wouldn't care about that." Kyo waved away her words, grinning lopsidedly. He liked her friendliness.

"You seem to know him quite well." The young lady laughed quietly, covering her pretty mouth with her left hand. Kyo caught sight of a wedding band and silently sighed in relief; she was married. That was good; no complications.

"He's my cousin." Kyo explained, shrugging.

The movement and the voices finally caused the violet-eyed teen to stir.

"Hn…?" He murmured, rubbing at his eyes.

"They're taking the dinner orders." A friendly, feminine voice answered.

Yuki turned to smile at the voice.

"Oh? Thanks…"

"No problem." Laughing quietly again, the woman smiled. "My name is Mrs. O'Leary. It's a pleasure to meet you both."

"I'm Yuki Sohma."

"Kyo."

"Orders?"

All three looked over to where a waiter stood, notepad in hand.

"I'll have the steak and potatoes." Mrs. O'Leary answered, passing a menu to the two teens beside her. "And what kinds of wine do you have?"

The waiter went through the list as Yuki and Kyo hurriedly scanned the menu.

"Young masters?"

"The chicken cordon-bleu with cider." Yuki answered.

"The mahi-mahi with milk." Kyo added.

"Very well." Marking their orders down in his pad, the waiter took the menus back and proceeded onto the next set of passengers.

"Forgive my rudeness…" Yuki spoke up, smiling at his newest acquaintance. "But you look Japanese…not Irish."

"I married an Irishman." Mrs. O'Leary smiled. "He's back in Los Angeles, unable to get away from work now that the school term is starting in a few weeks."

"Oh, he's a teacher?" Yuki asked.

"Yes…at UCLA."

"Really? I'm going there." Yuki explained, his smile growing.

"Oh? Which division?"

"Uh…Anderson School of Management. Undergraduate."

"Well, my husbands in the art and architecture department, so you won't be in any of his classes!"

"That's too bad…" Yuki commented, stifling a yawn.

"Yes, he is a wonderful teacher…but I'm sure you'll enjoy your other classes none the less." Mrs. O'Leary smiled. "But it seems you both are still tired. Why don't you go back to sleep? I'll wake you when the meals arrive."

"Thanks…" Yuki was only too glad to oblige. He subconsciously leaned against Kyo's shoulder once more, hugging his pillow against his chest.

"You two are close, huh?" Mrs. O'Leary whispered, smiling at Kyo.

"…You could say that." Kyo replied, closing his eyes and drifting off to sleep again.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

They ate ravenously before drifting off to sleep again, and Mrs. O'Leary simply occupied herself with mentally planning her upcoming week at home. She understood what teenaged boys were like--she had three teenaged brothers-in-law, all of whom she adored.

When the plane touched ground, it was dark outside. Yuki and Kyo barely remembered exiting the plane, receiving Mrs. O'Leary's phone number (just in case they had questions), stumbling their way through security, customs, and the luggage claim. They didn't speak to their taxi driver--merely handed him the address of their apartment complex and paid him wordlessly when they arrived.

The couldn't recall getting the key from their new landlord, or opening their new front door.

They didn't think twice about collapsing onto the closest soft surface and drifting off to sleep.

Until the next morning, that is.

**Well, I hope you enjoyed that! I know there isn't very much action going on, but like I said, it'll all pick up soon...and don't worry about Mrs. O'Leary--I'm not too big on original characters in fanfics (they just don't seem right to me, as a general rule). Mrs. O'Leary won't be appearing again--she was just there to sort of put the two teens at ease. There will be a few other 'original characters' appearing, but they're all 'back-drop' characters--basically people who have to be there so that it's not like the whole world is empty except for the Sohmas and their close friends. :) And, as regards Hatori's eye-color (I don't know if anyone really cares that much about it, but I'm kinda detail-oriented, and so this is for the other detail-oriented people out there), I know in the anime it's more a hazel color, but on the cover of the manga, it's really pale--almost opal. But in colored manga pictures/pin-ups, they tend to be really light blue...since this is based off the manga, I just said his eyes were pale. **

**Aaaand now that I'm done with that whole paragraph of trivial stuff...haha, I'll try and upload more tomorrow--don't forget to tell me what you think so far! Ask questions, too, if you like! **

**~WhitePhantom88**


	10. Chase

_WhitePhantom88: Okay, so I haven't uploaded for two--or is it three?--days; sorry for the delay! (but it's not that bad, right? ;P) I'm shipping off to school this upcoming Thursday, and so there's a lot to do--last minute people to see, last minute things to buy--but I'm sure you all know about the craziness involved with getting ready for school! So, before I cut out on the narrative and continue with the story, I just wanted to say--hope you enjoy this chapter! It's a bit more fast-paced than the last ones have been...and this 'fast-paced' trend will continue...progressively. :)_

_**~Hidden Addiction~**_

_**:Chase:**_

Maybe it was the change in time zones.

Maybe it was the apprehension of striking out on his own.

Maybe it was the intimidating fact that he was in a totally different country.

Maybe it was simply the fact that he didn't _want_ to wake up because he knew there was a rather complicated problem in his arms that would cause him no strife as long as they both remained in a dormant state.

Kyo admitted to himself that it was probably, most likely--okay, definitely--the last reason.

He welcomed challenges--he'd spent his whole life facing challenges. While they sometimes seemed insurmountable, the crimson-eyed teen was never down for long. He _thrived_ on chasing that unattainable goal…and then basking in the shocked faces around him. Whether it was due to mischievousness, ambition, curiosity, or some sick sense of masochism, he couldn't say. But the challenge of a new life in a strange country wasn't his major concern.

Opening one eye cautiously, Kyo simply watched as his major concern slept on…long, thick, dark eyelashes pressed against lightly flushed cheeks…soft lips partially open, sweet minty breath blowing gently against his own mouth…soft strands of silken hair framing a delicately-featured face…

If he didn't move quickly, the crimson-eyed teen swore his body would gain a mind completely its own. Reluctantly, slowly, the orange-haired teen shifted, slipping his arm out from under his silver-haired cousin's head. Carefully untangling himself from the slender legs and arms of his roommate, the crimson-eyed Cat began to slide off of the--couch?!

Having assumed they'd been on a bed, Kyo overestimated the room between the edge of the cushions and the floor. Landing with a solid _thump_, Kyo winced, biting his lower lip and rubbing at his lower back. Okay, that had kind of hurt.

"Mmm…?" Yuki murmured, rubbing his eyes with the palms of his hands. Eyes still closed, the silver-haired teen shifted, but the barrier he'd been sleeping with had moved, and the violet-eyed teen tumbled off of the couch and into the lap of his cousin.

Eyes snapping open, Yuki stared into the crimson gaze of his roommate, realizing in an instant that he was currently seated between the lanky teen's legs, hands splayed on either side of the orange-haired Cat's lean hips.

Bolting to his feet, Yuki accidentally rammed the top of his head into Kyo's jaw before stumbling backward until his back hit the wall. Still staring wide-eyed at the slightly shocked teen before him, the silver-haired boy groped for the doorknob to their apartment, opened it, and clumsily blundered his way outside.

"_**Oi!**_" Kyo called out, suddenly coming to his senses. He had merely a week to get everything in his personal life in order before he started working. He couldn't waste a minute. There was English to learn, bank accounts to set up, streets to memorize, food to buy, chores to figure out…

There was all that, and then the fact that the only thing he was comfortable with in this damn country had run out the door…

Jumping to his feet, the crimson-eyed teen took off after his cousin.

"Nezumi!" The concerned teen shut the apartment door behind him out of habit, pausing in disbelief as he heard a distinctive _click_.

Shit.

There was nothing he could do about it now. First, he had to find where the damn Rat had gone off to.

Suddenly aware that he wasn't alone, Kyo managed to smile and wave at the surprised, curious faces of the strangers that inhabited the neighboring apartments. Most had just picked up their newspapers from the doorstep; a few had been chatting pleasantly with their friends.

Until a silver-haired teen had dashed into their midst, looking decidedly terrified, as though fleeing for his life. Or something like that. And then a rather wild-looking, crimson eyed teen had appeared moments later, calling out some strange word in some Asian-sounding language.

Kyo couldn't deal with this right now, either. Hoping the gossip wouldn't evolve into something that would cause major headaches later, the crimson-eyed teen let his new neighbors think what they would. Slipping his feet into the shoes he'd left by the door the night before, he racked his brain for what little English he remembered.

Like he could think under these conditions.

Running down the stairs two at a time, Kyo abruptly came to a stop as the sounds of a large, foreign city assaulted his ears.

He couldn't understand a single word around him.

He felt completely helpless.

His first instinct?

Run.

"Baka Neko!" A well-known voice caught his ear, and the crimson-eyed teen turned to scowl at the only familiar thing around him. He was pissed as hell. But he was also glad to have found his cousin.

"What?!" Kyo demanded, walking rather crossly over to where the violet-eyed teen stood.

"…Where were you going?" Yuki asked, arching an eyebrow.

"How the hell am I supposed to know?!" Kyo snapped, eyes narrowing. "I was chasing after you, idiot! We have a ton of stuff to sort out today, remember? There's only a week to get all that stuff done! _And_ you're supposed to be teaching me freakin' English so that I can understand something else in this damn country besides you!"

"You don't have to freak out…" Yuki crossed his arms, eyes cold. "I was just going to get breakfast."

"You must have been really starving, to take off like that." Kyo observed sarcastically.

Yuki felt his face flush, silently admitting that his crimson-eyed cousin had won that bout. Not that he'd admit it out loud, of course. Pretending not to have heard, the silver-haired teen started walking down the sidewalk, toward one of the many shopping districts in their new residence.

"We can start your lessons here." Yuki spoke up again. "…Do you have your wallet?"

"Yeah." Kyo replied after patting his pocket. He hadn't bothered to take it out the night before…he'd simply crashed on the couch and fallen asleep.

"Great. You're treating."

"What?"

"My wallet's not in my pocket. It must've fallen out in the apartment…" Yuki muttered, hoping his crimson-eyed cousin would catch on before he had to explain more explicitly.

"How do you _know _it fell out in the apartme--oh." Catching on, Kyo tried not to blush. He _had_ noticed the sharp jab of some rectangular object during the night…the Rat's wallet must have fallen into the couch, under the cushions. Or, more acurately, Kyo had pulled it out of the Rat's back pocket and dropped it carelessly into the couch cushions, because it had gotten in the way of his nocturnal, subconcious exploration of---no. Finishing that line of thought would only make things _way _more awkward than neccessary. He knew why Yuki didn't have his wallet. End of story, end of thoughts.

"Those are apples. Pears. Bananas." Yuki pointed the fruit out as they entered a small café. The diner had just opened, everything quiet, clean, and fresh-looking. "Cherries…pineapples. Kiwis. Beagles. Muffins. What do you want to get?"

"Hn?" Kyo asked. He'd been trying to keep the various, strange names straight in his mind, but the Rat was going too quickly. "I guess I want…a pear."

"Use the English names." Yuki shook his head. "It'll make the lessons go faster, if you use them every chance you get."

"Like I can remember all those names! You went through them as though you were giving a tour through hell!"

"Fine." Smiling, Yuki went over to the counter where a curious shop hand had been watching intently, trying to figure out what was going on. "Good morning…I would like to order one of everything."

"One of…everything? Like, everything on the menu?" Tilting her head to the side, the shop hand raised an eyebrow. "Seriously?"

"Yes. That's exactly what I mean." Smiling in a disarming manner, Yuki held a hand out behind his back, motioning for Kyo to hand over his wallet. "How much does that come to?"

"Uh...the total comes to $139.76."

"That's perfect." Opening his cousin's wallet, Yuki pulled out seven twenties, handing them to the amused shop hand. "We'll wait over there." Pointing to one of the seven small tables in the café, Yuki smiled again. "Thank you!"

"Yeah, no problem." Handing the silver-haired teen his change, the shop hand turned to prepare the strange order.

"…What just happened? What's going on?" Kyo asked, following his cousin to a two-seater table. "What did you say? What did she say? And why did you hand over almost all the contents of my wallet?!"

"This is the cheapest café I could find…and it's for your first lesson, so quit complaining. I ordered one of everything on the menu. This way, you'll have time to get to intimately know all the new words I'm teaching you."

"Are you crazy? I can't possibly eat all that!" Glancing up at what he assumed to be the menu, Kyo figured there must be at least twenty options.

"Don't _worry_, baka Neko…we can take whatever we don't eat back to the apartment. I'm pretty sure it's well-furnished. We seem to be in a rather up-scale part of town…and Akito seems to have been surprisingly sensitive to whatever we might need. I'm sure we have a refrigerator."

"And if we don't?"

"We'll go out and get one."

"You make it sound so easy…do you even know where an appliance store is?"

"How hard can it be to find one? All we have to do is ask for directions."

"_If _you can translate them clearly into Japanese…it doesn't do us any good for you to know English when you suck so badly at directions."

"So then hurry up and learn English, baka Neko."

"Oh, shut up."

"Order's up!" Appearing at their table, the shop hand placed two dishes in front of the teens. "Well, the first course is ready, anyway."

Heading back to the counter, the shop hand started preparing the next set of dishes.

"Okay, this is a fruit-dish, so it should be fairly easy." Picking up various fruits and repeating the name in English three or four times, Yuki placed them back on the plate. "Now, repeat the name before you eat it. Go ahead."

"This is stupid…and embarrassing." Kyo muttered, picking up a plump, round, dark-purple berry. "Uh…"

"Bl…" Yuki prompted.

"Bl…Bl…" Kyo flushed, realizing he'd spent more time watching his cousin's lips move than listening to what the silver-haired teen had been saying. "This is retarded. I don't think this will work."

"You're to respond 'yes, teacher' to pretty much everything I say." Yuki quipped in a bored tone. Cupping a cheek in his hand and propping his elbow on the table, the violet-eyed teen gazed smugly--almost flirtatiously--up at his crimson-eyed pupil.

"Like hell I will!" Kyo sputtered angrily, accidentally squishing the small berry he held between his fingers. "Ah!" Cursing under his breath, the orange-haired teen licked his fingers clean, pleasantly surprised at the fresh, tart taste of the odd fruit.

"Have you remembered the name yet?" Yuki inquired, raising an eyebrow.

"Give me a second, baka Nezumi!" Kyo muttered, trying desperately to remember at least one of the foreign words Yuki had spoken.

All he could remember were the movement of enticingly-supple lips.

"Here's the second course!" The shop hand returned, placing four more dishes on the small table. There wasn't room for any more. "Uh, are you, like, expecting friends or something? This is a lot of food for just the two of you. Even if you are teenage boys."

"You're right." Yuki smiled up at the shop hand. "I wonder if you could just put the rest of our order into a carry-out package?"

"Yeah, okay." Shrugging, the shop hand returned to her counter, pulling out to-go boxes and a few re-usable bags.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

The lesson hadn't gone well.

Kyo could remember the word 'strawberry', but more often than not, he applied it to cherries. Everything else had gone in one ear and out the other.

And just as the crimson-eyed teen had suspected, they were locked out of their apartment.

"How could you lock us out?!" Yuki asked, jiggling the doorknob once more, agitated.

"Easy. Leave the key inside, lock the door, and shut it behind you as you walk out." Kyo snapped, dropping the carry-out bags on the landing outside of their door.

"Very funny." Yuki replied dryly. "Come on; I have to go talk to the landlord."

"Why do I have to come along?" Kyo muttered to himself, following his silver-haired cousin back down the stairwell. He couldn't stand having to listen to conversations where he didn't understand a single word.

"The more you hear the language, the easier it becomes…we'll be using words like 'key', and 'stairs'…" Yuki began another list of words, giving the meaning in Japanese, and since Kyo couldn't see the slender teen's lips, he had an easier time remembering the strange new sounds.

Maybe there was hope after all.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Dropping the carry-out bags on the floor of the kitchen, Kyo began pulling the boxes out and stacking them in the refrigerator. It _would _be the Rat's luck, to have things turn out exactly as he hoped. Now that he'd actually explored their apartment, the crimson-eyed teen noted that there was, indeed, very little furniture-wise that they lacked.

The rest of the day was spent checking into their new bank, shopping at the grocery store, and exploring downtown.

When dusk set in, Kyo was pretty confident in his knowledge of the city's layout…well, the part of the city he'd have to deal with, anyway.

He still didn't understand a damn thing he heard or saw, though. The foreign characters made no sense, and the odd noises people spoke were no more than a hopeless jumble to the crimson-eyed teen.

Okay, so that wasn't all true. He understood a few words. It seemed the few lessons in English he'd taken in high school hadn't totally fled his memory. But nothing new, nothing Yuki was teaching him had sunk in yet. It wasn't like the crimson-eyed teen was stupid or slow…he was fairly adept at learning, actually. It was just…he couldn't really concentrate around the silver-haired boy.

His violet-eyed cousin had spent the entire day fluttering back and forth between a slightly flirtatious, friendly mood, before catching himself and retreating into a cold, distant, annoyed sort of mood. After a while, his guard would fade, and his more amiable mood would return. Before disappearing again.

It was exhausting. And annoying as hell.

"I found where my college is."

Kyo turned at the sound of his cousin's voice. Yuki continued speaking in English. Kyo felt his eyes narrow.

"What the hell are you speaking to me in English for? I can't understand it!"

"I just repeated myself. _Blah-blah-blah-blah_. I'm going to do this all the time. _Blah-blah-blah-blah_. It should help you with your English. _Blah-blah-_you-_blah_."

"I don't care--all I hear is 'blah-blah-blah'! It makes me feel like a baby or something--without a clue as to what's going on!"

"Well, if it helps, I'll call you Koneko, then." Yuki smiled coldly.

"That doesn't help at all!" Kyo snapped.

"So, Koneko…as I was saying…" Yuki continued, unperturbed. "I found where my college is on the map we picked up downtown. You should look for where your dojo is, and circle it. It'll save us time later." The silver-haired boy repeated himself in the foreign language Kyo was quickly coming to hate.

"How long did it take you to find your college? Two hours?" The crimson-eyed teen snatched the map from his cousin's hand, scanning the paper for the address of his new dojo. "What the hell? This thing's in English--how am I supposed to locate anything?"

"I would find it for you…" Yuki shrugged. "But I can't afford to waste another two hours of my time…" Smiling smugly, Yuki jabbed a finger at the map. "If you stare at it long enough, I'm sure you can remember what those characters mean…remember, each one makes a certain sound, and when you put those sounds together, you get words…it may have taken me two hours to find my college, but it'll take you _months_ to find your dojo on that map. But, hey." The violet-eyed teen smirked. "It's not like you have anything else to do, right?"

"Oh, just kicking your arse. That's all." Kyo replied caustically, folding the map up and shoving it into his pocket.

"Kick my arse, and you'll be completely on your own." Yuki countered calmly.

"If you put it that way, I'll just leave the arse-kicking to those creepy-looking locals…" Kyo shrugged. "You can't blame _me_ for what they do…I wasn't hired to be your body-guard, after all."

"…What are you talking about?" Yuki asked, eyes narrowing.

"Please…as self-conscious as you are about your looks, don't even try and tell me you didn't notice." Kyo snorted. "They were practically tailing us the whole day! Two or three men, one lady, with little mechanical devices they kept whispering into and _sunglasses_."

"In case you haven't noticed, Mr. Oblivious Koneko, almost _everyone_ was wearing sunglasses today…in America, it's not some sign of being in a gang…and the bank, the grocery store, and downtown are all very commonly traversed places. They probably weren't following us at all." The silver-haired teen attempted to look completely at ease, but Kyo smirked inwardly as he noted that his cousin's brow was still slightly furrowed. "And you might not have been hired as my body-guard, but you do still owe me lessons in karate. After all, you have to admit, those 'lessons' I received back home hardly counted."

Kyo smirked openly. This had been the leverage he'd been looking for.

"Fine. You teach me to communicate with the locals, and I'll teach you how to walk down a street without having to be afraid of an assault."

"Fine." Yuki agreed.

"Y'know, you're getting the better part of the deal…I could always mime, but looking the way you do? You'll be lucky if you can make it across the first street without being mobbed…" Eyeing his cousin's slender body, Kyo chuckled darkly.

"Don't kid yourself…" Yuki countered, trying to ignore the heat in his cheeks. "There are people who've grown up with you who can't understand a damn thing about you…what makes you think you could mime your way through a foreign country?"

"At least I could make it back to Japan alive."

"Not likely." Yuki shook his head, casting around for a way to change the subject. He didn't like the tables being turned--he had to cast an illusion--make it seem as though the playing field was still even. The silver-haired teen didn't want to imagine what Kyo would do if the crimson-eyed teen realized he held all the cards… "Look, if you don't want to call me sensei, then agree that I don't have to call you shihan."

Kyo raised an eyebrow at the sudden shift in topic. Yuki nearly winced. That had been _waaaaay_ too obvious…

"…Backing out of a verbal sparring match?" The crimson-eyed teen smirked. "That's a new one…"

"Deal?" Yuki pressed, hoping to distract the Cat whatever the cost. He felt his hope fading; surely the Cat would realize now…

"Yeah, sure, deal." Shrugging, Kyo agreed.

Yuki felt his heartbeat slowly return to normal. Maybe the Cat was more of an idiot than he'd thought…not that that was a bad thing. Especially in this case.

"So, what's English for Nezumi?" Kyo asked, leaning against the kitchen counter with his usual unconcerned, saucy grace. Yuki hated the way his crimson-eyed teen was so cocky…hated it, but admired it as well…

"Rat." Yuki answered shortly, hoping to mend his currently dysfunctional ice-prince mask and slip it on as soon as possible. He was faltering far too much--if he kept this slow degradation up, he'd be done for.

"Rat…" Kyo repeated, twisting his mouth around the strange word and frowning. "That doesn't sound nearly as cute as Nezumi…" A deep, crimson gaze fixed itself intensely, pensively on Yuki. The silver-haired boy felt a flush creep across his face.

The Cat smirked abruptly.

"I suppose I should call you _Rat_ from now on…"

"Whatever you want, Koneko." Yuki replied, feeling (for some strange reason) as though he'd been slapped. "I could care less."

Shrugging elegantly and turning to head toward the bedroom, the silver-haired boy kept his hands in his pockets.

Kyo didn't miss that little detail.

Nor did he miss the fact that the violet-eyed teen's arms had been slightly shaking…his hands, Kyo was certain, had been clenched into fists.

Despite his bold, carefree words, the Rat was upset about something.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

"You gonna turn dinner into another lesson?" Kyo asked, sauntering into the bedroom. Yuki fixed his crimson-eyed roommate with a decidedly cold stare.

"I don't think your brain could handle it."

"Fine with me. I could use a peaceful meal." Kyo shrugged.

"So could I; let's not eat together, shall we?" A cold smile spread across the violet-eyed teen's face.

"If we want to eat in peace, there isn't another option, is there?" Kyo snapped, walking back out of the room and toward the kitchen.

Pulling out a random take-out box, the Cat raised an eyebrow and sniffed suspiciously at the foreign food inside of it. Stomach protesting, Kyo put it back in the refrigerator and pulled out fresh ingredients, instead. He would make something familiar, something he knew…he'd had enough new experiences for the day.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Yuki slipped into the restroom attached to their two-person bedroom. Showering quickly and dressing in his pajamas, the silver-haired teen brushed his teeth and buried himself in his bed. He wasn't hungry. He didn't want to have to say another word to his crimson-eyed cousin. It _would_ be his luck that their apartment had only one bedroom…

At least there were two beds.

Before another thought could form, the silver-haired boy was enveloped by a deep but restless sleep.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Kyo washed his dishes and did a quick clean of the kitchen before heading back to the bedroom.

Yuki was already asleep.

The curtains were still open, though, and the glow from the city lights enabled to crimson-eyed teen to make his way easily to the restroom. Showering and preparing for bed, the lanky teen grumbled noiselessly to himself.

Normally, he could solve problems fairly easily. He was rather talented, both physically and mentally.

But with Yuki, nothing was ever normal.

It seemed the silver-haired teen could completely demolish any strip of talent or confidence the crimson-eyed teen had, and not even have to try.

Glaring at his sleeping roommate, Kyo climbed into his own bed and turned away from his silver-haired cousin. But his thoughts weren't as easily turned as his gaze.

Staring out of the window, eyes reflecting the soft glow of the city lights, Kyo lost himself in thought.

The crimson-eyed teen was used to making his own luck, but when it came to Yuki, he was always unusually helpless…he'd take the silver-haired siren readily when he came, and simply watched bitterly whenever the violet-eyed teen withdrew. He had always seen himself as being toyed with by his cousin…and he'd never really thought he could do anything about it.

But now, he was through letting Yuki get away with everything.

He was going to chase that damn Rat the next time he attempted to run away.

He was going to chase him, catch him, and steal his breath away.

As simple as that.

With this new resolve, and the beginnings of a plan, swirling around the crimson-eyed teen's mind, Kyo lay smiling in the dark until sleep overcame him.

**Hey, so that's what's what for now! A few notes/clarifications on the chapter: I've heard that sunglasses are only really worn by gangsters and tourists in Japan, and I'm assuming that this is a correct trivia fact. Also, I have no idea how much twenty small breakfast meals would cost in Los Angeles...I totally made that sum up. In this chapter, I've also switched from using 'Cat' and 'Rat' when Kyo and Yuki are speaking, to 'Neko' and 'Nezumi', just to sort of show that they are speaking a different language than what the people around them are. Although, in the plain text and in their thoughts, I still use 'Cat' and 'Rat', because obviously in the privacy of their own thoughts there isn't any need to distinguish between 'are they speaking Japanese?' and 'are they speaking English?' ...Hope that long, drawn-out explaination made sense! -_- And, though I'm sure you all know this, 'baka' = stupid, 'neko' = cat, 'nezumi' = rat, and 'koneko' = kitten**

**A warning of sorts: I don't, in all honesty, know whether I'll be able to finish this before I'm shipped off to school. There are 21 chapters planned, and I'm on 10. The writing's coming a lot easier now that things have picked up again, but the time I have to spend writing has been increasingly lessening, due to preperations for school. At the very worst, I'll finish this story during Winter Break. Sorry about that! If I'm lucky, I'll be a prompt and studious pupil this semester, instead of my usual procrastinating self, so that I have more free time to write/finish this story and upload it! Maybe we won't have to wait till Winter Break to see what happens...I hope so!**

**A thank you: Thanks to all who have been reviewing--really, it's you guys that keep this story going! I know it's cliche and all that, but you have no idea how much motivation it gives a writer, to hear that people are liking what's been done so far, and are looking forward to more! As always, please review if you have a moment--good, bad, anything--it'll all be put to good use!**

**Until next chapter,**

**~WhitePhantom88**


	11. Insinuations

_WhitePhantom88: Here's another chapter--enjoy! I don't own anything_

_NB: Remember, italics means a flashback, and /-/ means a change in pov._

**_~Hidden Addiction~_**

**_:Insinuations:_**

Kyo smiled to himself.

It was so simple, really.

No Rat was going to come prancing out of his hiding hole when a Cat was prowling around. The best way to bring the Rat out? Make him feel like there's no threat lurking outside. A way to make the situation more enticing? Set bait. The best kind of bait?

Something irresistible. ..something the Rat had an addiction for…

It would take a bit of time, and a lot of work…

But this time he would catch the damn Rat.

And this time, he wouldn't let go.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Yuki shifted the strap of his satchel. He was waiting for the bus to take him back to the apartment. He knew he should be paying more attention to what he was doing, but paying attention was something he was becoming increasingly worse at.

He had his damn crimson-eyed cousin to thank for that.

He'd been attending university for three days now. He'd managed to make one or two friends. He'd managed to dodge most of the advances his new classmates had made with relative ease. True, Americans were a little more forward than the typical Japanese girl, but still…he was the ice prince, after all. In a way, such things came easily to him. Be nice, kind, but distant. That's all it took.

That's all it had ever taken.

But of course, with Kyo, things couldn't be that easy.

It didn't matter to the crimson-eyed teen whether Yuki was wearing a mask, being decidedly cold, or actually faltering and stumbling like an idiot. The Cat was always the same. Cocky and self-conceited, enjoying the little fun he was having with his toy.

Grip tightening on the strap of his satchel, Yuki felt his eyes narrow.

"Hey, Yuki, you gonna get on the bus?" A vaguely familiar voice spoke up.

Glancing up in surprise, Yuki quickly flashed his new classmate a smile and hopped aboard the city bus.

"Thanks…I just got lost in thought." Yuki explained politely.

"Yeah, no problem dude. I know how much it sucks to miss a ride and have to wait for the next bus to come." The sandy-haired teen smiled crookedly, randomly scrolling through songs on his ipod. His dark blue eyes were visible for once, as his sunglasses were perched a-top of his head.

"Yeah…" Yuki replied, not knowing what else to say.

"So did you get that last part of class? It was all kind of hazy for me…and, well, to be honest, I was zoning out like mad." Smile widening, the sandy-haired teen shrugged and laughed.

"I think I understood it…you want to borrow my notes or something?"

"Sure." Pulling out a piece of scrap paper, the teen scribbled down his email address. "Thanks, man."

"Yep." Yuki replied.

"Well, this is my stop. See ya tomorrow."

Yuki waved lazily as the teen hopped off of the bus and began walking away. He thought his new friend's name might be Matt, but he wasn't entirely sure.

It was either Matt or Keith…wasn't it?

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Kyo watched as his students left the building.

He had quite a range.

The youngest in his class was about six or seven, the oldest around twenty or twenty-one.

"Hey, Kyo, let's go get something to drink!"

Calling out to the crimson-eyed teen, two green-belt students gathered their things.

"I don't think--"

"Oh, come on; lessons are over--you're just a peer now. And you're a freakin' teenager--so don't act like you've got a stick up your arse all the time! After hours, you're our friend." The cheeky black-haired, brown-eyed twenty-one year old grinned.

"Yeah. I mean, you just moved here, man; don't you want to get to know the place? And who better to show you around, than a couple of friends?" The blonde, green-eyed best friend of the dark-featured deviant grinned as well.

Kyo frowned. He knew Americans had a less-strict sense of social classes…maybe here a teacher could be friends with his students…?

Just as long as they remembered who was boss in the dojo.

"Hai…" Kyo finally agreed.

"That means yes, right?" The dark-haired young man laughed kindly, arching an eyebrow.

"Yes…" Kyo flushed, picking up his own belongings and heading out of the dojo, his two students following.

"I thought we were taking you somewhere…" The blonde pointed out. "Why are you walking in front of us, Kyo?"

"Oh, shut up!" Kyo snapped, pausing to let his two new comrades walk beside him and steer their direction.

"Ha-ha! This one's gonna be fun." The dark-haired young man grinned crookedly at his blonde friend.

"Yeah, I like him already!" His blonde friend agreed.

Kyo was pretty sure the dark-featured menace was named Mike, while the blonde was Chris.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Yuki tossed his satchel on the couch, collapsing down next to it. The front door opened a second time as Kyo came in, dropping his gym bag on the ground by the door. An orange and red drink was in his hand.

"Get changed." Kyo commanded, stretching. "We're doing karate lessons first today."

"Yeah, I know…" Yuki muttered, pulling himself up from the couch and heading toward the bedroom. They'd agreed to switch the order of their lessons everyday.

Kyo placed his drink on the kitchen table and followed his cousin into the bedroom.

Yuki raised an eyebrow at the crimson-eyed teen, but continued to change his attire. He wasn't going to jump at everything Kyo did…even though the orange-haired teen had been acting completely unpredictable the last week and a half. He wasn't going to freak out.

"Y'know, I always did like those maroon boxers." Kyo observed simply before heading back out into the living room.

"Damn Neko…" Yuki muttered, pulling on draw-string pants and a t-shirt…the only set of completely casual clothes he owned.

Which had, coincidentally, been compliments of his cousin.

Running a hand through his hair, Yuki inhaled deeply. He had to keep it together.

"I never get tired of seeing you in my pants." Kyo commented nonchalantly as his cousin entered the living room. "Start stretching."

"Mm." Yuki agreed, setting his jaw and begin his routine, overly-aware of the crimson gaze watching his every move.

Memories from days past came unbidden to the silver-haired teen's mind.

"_So if I'm going to teach you, Rat, we still have to settle the problem of suitable clothing." The crimson-eyed teen looked his cousin over critically. "Do you seriously not own a pair of draw-string pants…sweat pants…anything that doesn't scream upper-class prat? And you have to have a t-shirt without all these preppy designs…everybody owns one of those!"_

"_I can get clothing like that easily enough, but for today can't you just deal with what I've got on?" Yuki asked, fighting a scowl._

"_Nope." Kyo grinned. "I told you, I've got principles. Stay here." _

_Sauntering into the bedroom, Kyo emerged moments later with a small bundle of clothing. _

"_Here." Tossing them at Yuki, the Cat grinned. "Put those on. That'll be your uniform."_

"_I can get--"_

"_Not here, you can't." Kyo interrupted. "Shishou orders that kind of clothing from a small business that only operates in Japan. There's no way you can get that here. It's the best kind of clothing for karate training, so quit complaining, stupid Rat. I'm doing you a favor."_

"_Some favor." Yuki muttered, changing into the new clothes anyway. The drawstring pants hung loosely around the silver-haired teen's slender waist, resting on his hipbones, the hem of the garment touching the floor. Slipping the shirt over his head, Yuki found his new shirt almost reached the middle of his thighs, giving the effect of a mini-skirt. The silver-haired teen tried not to blush, knowing that Kyo wasn't even attempting to hide his broad smirk. _

"_I'm going to trip all over these." Yuki pointed out dryly, gesturing to his new attire. _

_His crimson-eyed cousin continued to grin._

"_It'll do."_

Yuki finished stretching and turned to face his cousin.

"It's been a week and a half and I'm still tripping all over these…_things_." The silver-haired teen gestured irritably to his 'uniform'. "Face it, it's hopeless--I can't learn proper karate in these."

"It's fine; I'm used to catching you." Kyo snickered, waving away his cousin's protests. "Or have you forgotten how many years of practice I've had doing just that? Besides, you're not really here to learn karate--you're goal is to defend yourself on the streets. It's always important to keep your goal in mind." Kyo quoted sagely, before smirking again. "You need to get used to defending yourself in all kinds of clothing, because an assailant won't wait for you to change into a comfortable set of karate-clothes."

"Yeah, but--" Yuki paused when his cousin's hand snaked up his shirt, the crimson-eyed teen suddenly behind him.

"Remember how to get out of this…?" Kyo murmured against his cousin's neck, smiling.

Feeling his heart race, Yuki jabbed backward with his elbow, aiming for the crimson-eyed teen's diaphragm and hoping to knock him breathless. It was easy to escape from a winded captor.

But Kyo kept just enough of a tight grip around his cousin's waist, so that when the crimson-eyed teen stumbled backward, his silver-haired roommate went with him.

"Not quite…" Kyo chuckled darkly against his roommate's hair, his hands fiddling playfully with the waistband of Yuki's pants.

…_fiddling playfully, curiously, with the waistband of his pants._

_Yuki felt a small, mewling sort of sound escape his lips as he slumped against the lean body behind him. The tanned hands that had been so delightfully touching him paused a moment before slowly sliding under the fabric of his karate uniform, fingertips brushing lightly, teasingly, against bare skin._

_Yuki felt his eyes fly open momentarily, his breath catching as he shrunk away from the touch at first. The feelings were overwhelming…almost too much for the silver-haired preteen, who'd spent most of his life attempting to feel as little as possible. But the curious hands were insistent, and Yuki soon found himself trying to get more. Breath ragged, small sounds of pleasure escaping his lips every so often, the violet-eyed preteen succumbed to his desires, his hands gripping and tugging at the fabric of his cousin's karate uniform…_

_/-/_

_Kyo felt a small whimper of pleasure escape his own mouth as the slender body before him wriggled delightfully against his groin…he tried different things with his hands, doing anything he could think of to get the silver-haired preteen to whimper and mewl some more…his cousin's head had slumped back against his shoulder, while the crimson-eyed boy's own head was inclined forward, breathing raggedly in his cousin's ear…thankful for the wall behind him, Kyo felt his legs weaken even more as his cousin's slender waist began rocking back and forth under his touch, rubbing erotically against his own hardening member…_

Kyo managed to pull the silver-haired teen's shirt off as easily as he always had…tracing kisses and nips down his roommate's stomach, the crimson-eyed teen paused momentarily when he came to Yuki's waistband. Grinning, Kyo slowly and gently kissed his cousin's member before softly biting at it.

"_Nnn_…!!" Yuki whimpered, breath ragged, thrusting upward. Kyo pulled back, bringing his lips to his cousin's ear before pressing his knee firmly between his roommate's legs, earning a sharp gasp from the silver-haired teen.

"Y'know…" Kyo purred in the violet-eyed teen's ear. "If you end up like this every time someone comes onto you in the street, you're gonna earn the rep of biggest whore in Los Angeles within a week…"

Eyes flying open, Yuki silently cursed as reality came rushing back to him. Glaring up at his crimson-eyed cousin, the silver-haired teen attempted to free himself. But Kyo didn't relinquish the firm grasp he had on the smaller teen's wrists until he'd once again straddled his cousin, pinning his arms above his head, pressing their hips together and crushing his lips in one last kiss.

Trying not to react to his cousin's ministrations, Yuki cursed as he felt his own slender hips moving along with Kyo's, his tongue dancing with the crimson-eyed teen's, his whole body arching toward the dominating teen above him…

Until Kyo abruptly pulled away entirely.

Slowly sitting up, Yuki locked gazes with his cousin and slapped the crimson-eyed teen across the face.

Both teens rose to their feet, Kyo holding a hand to his smarting cheek.

"What the--?!" The crimson-eyed teen began, before Yuki smacked him again. Lashing out a third time, the silver-haired teen gasped slightly when his cousin grabbed hold of his wrist, stopping him. Wrenching his hand free, Yuki glared at Kyo a moment longer before turning away and heading toward the shower.

"Wasn't it amusing..." Kyo called out after the teen, pleased to find that Yuki paused at the sound of his voice. "...that Shishou wanted me to train you in the very same room we used all those years ago…?"

Cheeks flaring madly and fists clenching, Yuki felt his jaw clench.

"I didn't find it amusing at all, actually." Voice soft and cold, Yuki continued on his way.

Grinning slowly, Kyo changed his clothes and waited patiently for his cousin to come out of the restroom.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Emerging from the shower, Yuki was peeved to find that Kyo was sprawled out on his bed, silently watching as the silver-haired teen tried to casually pull out a new set of clothing. He avoided any boxers that were remotely close to being maroon-colored.

Sliding into mint-colored ones instead, Yuki pulled on a pair of black slacks and a light-green mandarin-styled shirt.

"Training went abysmally today, didn't it?" Kyo asked in a conversational tone.

"I think we can safely blame it on your teaching tactics." Yuki replied coldly, glaring at his cousin.

"Oh? But I'm just using the same method you are." Kyo pointed out, rising from the bed. He was wearing a dark blue shirt and cargo pants. "After all, half of what you say is in English these days, and you claim that I'll just have to deal with it until I start understanding English easily. Well, I'm just going to keep coming at you until you're able to reject my advances."

Coming to stand right before his silver-haired cousin, Kyo smirked. "Isn't it time for English lessons, anyway?" Reaching down and sliding a mischievous hand across his slender cousin's arse, the crimson-eyed teen chuckled as he made his way out of the bedroom. "Hn…I think this could take a while…"

Fighting a violent blush, Yuki set his jaw and followed his cousin out into the living room.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

After an hour of avoiding looking directly at his cousin and keeping the kitchen table between them, Yuki breathed a sigh of relief as he managed to complete the day's English lesson without incident.

"What's for dinner?" Yuki asked, exhausted.

"Here." Coming around the table and placing the drink he'd gotten earlier in front of the silver-haired teen, Kyo smiled. "Taste this."

"…What is it?" Yuki asked, hoping the crimson-eyed teen couldn't see how tense he was.

"Some sort of fruity drink. It's good…that's why I drank most of it." Kyo replied, leaving his cousin's side and going over to the refrigerator.

Tentatively taking a sip, Yuki found that he really loved the strange drink and finished it quickly.

"What do you think was in it?" Kyo asked, frowning as he held the refrigerator door open and scanned the contents inside.

"Strawberries, mangos, and pineapples, I think…" Yuki replied, still a little surprised at how easily he and his cousin could hold a normal conversation.

"We need to go grocery shopping." Kyo stated, raking a hand through his hair.

"Go by yourself." Yuki answered, walking out of the kitchen and into the living room. He still had a lot of school work to do…

Pulling his satchel toward him, the silver-haired teen opened his laptop and double-clicked on the notes he'd taken that day. He may as well e-mail them to Matt or Keith or whoever it was he'd met up with on the bus…even if the notes didn't help the violet-eyed teen understand the class any better, his sandy-haired classmate might get some use out of them. Unrolling the crumpled-up scrap of paper with his new friend's email address, Yuki sighed inwardly. Math had always been his most difficult subject…why did he want to major in a field that involved so much of it?

Because it interested him the most, that's why. It was something that didn't come easily to him…something that was challenging for once.

Lost in his reverie, Yuki didn't notice his cousin follow him into the living room, intent on continuing their conversation.

"You have to pay for half of the groceries, remember?"

"Huh? Oh…well, just take my wallet then!" Yuki snapped, before pausing. That probably wasn't a good idea…

"Are you serious?" Kyo asked. Yuki could hear the amused smile in his voice.

"Of course not; what do you think I am, stupid?" The silver-haired teen snapped, quickly emailing the notes to his friend before shutting his laptop and grabbing his wallet. "Let's get this over with."

"Don't tell _me_ that; _you're_ the one that takes an abnormally long time shopping. According to Momiji, Kagura, and Haru, anyway…" Kyo commented casually, slipping his own wallet into his pocket and stepping out of the front door. He turned to wait for his cousin, who stood scowling in the living room. "Well?"

Wordlessly, the silver-haired teen stalked out onto the landing in front of their apartment. Glaring at his crimson-eyed companion, Yuki headed toward the stairwell, Kyo following with a satisfied smirk on his face.

_All he'd ended up buying was a single pair of socks. Maybe he could pick up a book or two, to make it at least seem like he'd had a legitimate reason to go shopping. Mother would get suspicious if he came back with so little…if Mother noticed at all. Akito was more likely to get suspicious, actually…but lately the head of the family had been acting more distant. He didn't want Yuki's company so much--the silver-haired preteen was slowly being replaced with Kureno. Yuki admitted he didn't particularly mind, even though it had put his parents in a six-month-long bad mood._

_Feeling a heated gaze, Yuki quickly stopped browsing through the books and stepped outside, brushing rudely past an orange-haired preteen who continued on his own way in the opposite direction. Turning left down a side-road, and then left again, the silver-haired boy was soon back at the bookstore. This time, however, he was in back of the building, locking gazes with a bright, intense pair of crimson eyes glowing softly in the growing dusk. _

_Yuki broke away first, panting slightly, trying to recover his breath and his wits. His arms remained entwined with Kyo's body; he wasn't sure he could stand on his own. _

"_You should get your parents to raise your allowance…" Kyo breathed, letting silken, silver strands slip through his fingers before tracing his cousin's delicate, familiar jaw line and recapturing his soft, parted lips._

_Yuki didn't answer, but pressed further into the orange-haired preteen's lean but muscular arms, deepening the kiss and shyly slipping a hand under his cousin's shirt. He felt the crimson-eyed boy smile before he was forcefully pushed back against the wall, his orange-haired cousin exploring every inch of his body impatiently. _

_Pulling away again, the silver-haired boy pushed gently but firmly on his crimson-eyed cousin's chest. _

"_I have to go…"_

"_You should take up window-shopping…" Kyo murmured, tracing the violet-eyed preteen's slender neck with his lips. _

"_Mother…and Father…" Yuki whispered, trying not to let on how much he'd rather stay…how much Kyo's lips on his neck aroused his secret addiction. "Akito…they'd get suspicious…"_

"_Hn." Kyo grumbled, reluctantly pulling away. Yuki chanced a glance at his cousin's face. The crimson-eyed preteen was suddenly moody and brooding, a small scowl on his face, and Yuki felt his own face freeze over. _

"_Be more careful with my stuff next time…" Yuki commented stoically, picking his newly-purchased socks up off of the ground and shoving them back into his bag. "And with my neck." The silver-haired boy worriedly ran a few fingers over his pale skin. Akito would notice if something was visible…_

"_Aren't I always?" Kyo muttered, picking up his own bag and slinging it over his shoulder. Yuki felt his features tighten as he noted that Kyo hadn't gone home after school--he was still in his uniform, still carrying his school-bag. _

_They didn't exchange another word, but went their separate ways. _

_The Cat was lucky, Yuki thought to himself. He could do whatever he pleased…he didn't have to tip-toe around, trying to please everyone, having his every step monitored by one person or another._

_Stupid Cat. _

_/-/_

_Kyo scuffed the toe of his shoe in the dirt. _

_The damn Rat._

_Yuki had to make up some excuse every time he left the main estate…or even his house…and yeah, that would be annoying as hell…didn't Kyo know that from personal experience? But still…Yuki could walk anywhere and be admired, catered to, and adored by anyone. _

_Kyo still didn't feel exactly comfortable going straight home…he liked roaming around (maybe that was due to having been cooped up so long as a child…?)…and while he didn't exactly want people all over him all the time, the crimson-eyed preteen couldn't help but wonder what it would be like, to know that someone--pretty much anyone--would be willing to help him if he needed it._

Kyo walked briskly around the market, grabbing what he needed, comparing prices and mentally converting the price into yen, just because he was curious. Yuki followed him around like a shadow, silent and close behind. Kyo stopped abruptly, just to see if the silver-haired teen would crash into him. The violet-eyed teen came within a hair's width of the crimson-eyed teen's back, but managed to stop himself before touching his cousin.

Something was occupying the silver-haired teen's mind. Yuki hadn't even bothered to demand why Kyo had stopped so suddenly.

Continuing to the check-out, Kyo held out his hand for Yuki's wallet and almost smiled at the way the silver-haired teen was careful not to let their hands touch.

Each of them ended up carrying four bags each, and Kyo led the way back to their apartment. He paused by a quiet side-street, glancing sideways at his cousin. Looking around to see why the crimson-eyed teen had stopped, Yuki felt his cheeks flush as he caught sight of the dark, empty side street.

"It's too bad we have frozen food…" Kyo spoke softly, a smile in his voice.

"Shut up." Yuki snapped, stepping around his cousin and continuing crossly toward their apartment.

Laughing quietly to himself, Kyo followed and soon fell in step beside the flushing silver-haired teen. Yuki refused to look at him.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Yuki let his head slump against the back of the couch. His laptop sat before him, his textbooks and scrap-paper spread over the couch cushions.

He now had a vague idea of what the whole class was about…

The price for this tentative knowledge, however, was a migraine…

Exhaling, Yuki splayed three of his slender fingers and a thumb on his forehead, rubbing slowly. His stomach grumbled gently as the scent of dinner drifted through the small apartment. He was trying to pool his strength and pull himself off of the couch and into the kitchen, when a gentle tug on his wrist pulled his hand off of his forehead. Eyes snapping open, Yuki caught sight of a crimson gaze before the lights forced the silver-haired teen to shut his eyes once more.

Soft, hungry, lips tasting vaguely of ginger gently pressed themselves against Yuki's partially open mouth. Trying to protest, the silver-haired teen opened his mouth further, whimpering softly, feeling his muscles tense involuntarily. His head was pounding in tandem with his wildly-racing heart…it was getting extremely difficult to think, and the violet-eyed teen was certain any understanding he'd managed to glean about his classes was completely gone now.

Cool hands slowly cupped his face, gently massaging the tight muscles in the silver-haired teen's aching head…Yuki relaxed under the tender touch, subconsciously kissing the lips before him tenderly.

"Dinner's ready…don't let it get cold." Kyo breathed against his silver-haired cousin's mouth, pulling back and smirking.

Yuki blinked, turning his head to gaze at the crimson-eyed teen perched on the arm of the couch.

"Yeah…whatever…" Yuki said quietly, getting up and making his way into the kitchen. Slumping into one of the kitchen-table chairs, he pinched the bridge of his nose between his forefinger and thumb. Great. Now not only did he have no idea what was going on in two of his five classes, but he was _completely_ confused about his cousin's behavior and how to deal with it.

It wasn't fair. This wasn't supposed to be happening again.

When the Rat felt overwhelmed or lost, he usually hid--behind a mask, behind ice, running away from the problem until it left. That tactic wasn't working this time…this time, the game had advanced. This time, Yuki had no damn idea what to do…how to win…

"So eat up already." Kyo interrupted the silver-haired teen's thoughts, prodding his cousin with chopsticks. "I didn't make this so that you could waste it."

"I didn't ask you to make it." Yuki pointed out, picking up his chopsticks anyway and digging in hungrily.

"…Well, it's a good thing I did, or you probably would have ended up eating your school books." Kyo replied easily, raising an eyebrow as he watched his cousin stuff himself. "Did you starve yourself today or something?"

"I didn't eat lunch." Yuki snapped, swallowing. "I was trying to figure out what the hell is going on in my math class."

"Really?" Kyo asked pensively. He glanced over to where Yuki's books still lay, spread out on the couch.

"No, I actually enjoy starving myself. It's fun." Yuki replied sarcastically, shoveling more food into himself.

"I wouldn't be surprised. You're so scrawny, after all…" Kyo shrugged, before snapping his fingers. "Oh, hey--try this." Pulling two cups out of the refrigerator, the crimson-eyed teen set one down by his cousin, eyes glittering excitedly. "Tell me what you think."

Taking a small sip of the red and orange drink, Yuki paused in surprise. It tasted exactly like the drink Kyo had given him earlier that day.

"…it's fine." Yuki looked up at his cousin through his long eyelashes. He was exhausted, and too confused to keep his charade going for long.

"Yeah…I think there still might be something missing, though…" Kyo agreed, draining his glass and scooping the last bite of his dinner into his mouth. Gathering his dishes and dumping them in the sink, the crimson-eyed teen sauntered off.

"Hn…" Yuki replied belatedly, finishing his own meal and beginning to wash the dishes.

This was really bad. Yuki couldn't figure out what Kyo was planning…what Kyo was trying to do…there was no way he could be seriously interested…he had to be playing. That's right…Kyo was rather slow to make friends, even though people were always more than willing to befriend him…so right now, all he had to occupy himself with was work and Yuki. The crimson-eyed teen always had an excess of energy…Ockham's Razor, right? The simplest answer is usually the right one? Kyo was bored, and Yuki made an entertaining toy.

And as an added bonus, the silver-haired boy was an asset…a great tool. Kyo wasn't stupid--he was picking up on English faster than Yuki had expected, and the orange-haired teen was adept at picking up on street-smarts. He could barely read the signs, and hesitantly spoke the language, but the stupid Cat sauntered around Los Angeles with more confidence than Yuki…

What would happen when Kyo no longer needed him at all? When the crimson-eyed teen was able to make it all on his own, and moved out? When he was free to go and find whatever toy he wanted?

The dishes were done. Sighing, Yuki walked back into the living room, planning to gather up his school things and get to bed. His migraine was returning with a vengeance.

Kyo looked up when his silver-haired cousin came in, fiddling with a pen and scanning the contents of Yuki's textbook.

"So you don't get this?" The crimson-eyed teen inquired.

"I get most of it." Yuki snapped, reaching over to snatch his book away from the Cat. Kyo caught his arm easily and pulled the slender, tired teen toward him. Falling forward, Yuki landed in his cousin's firm embrace. Settling the violet-eyed teen beside him, Kyo gestured toward the textbook still open before him.

"Explain it, then."

"I…I'm really tired." Yuki protested weakly. Kyo arched an eyebrow at his cousin, studying the smaller teen's expression.

"Fine. Then answer one question. What does this equation help you solve?" Kyo pointed to a series of numbers, letters, and symbols. The print swam before Yuki's eyes.

"I don't know…" Yuki muttered.

"That's a pretty basic equation…if you don't know that, you shouldn't be able to understand anything else in here." Kyo commented lightly. "This particular equation shows you how to find out the growth of something over a certain amount of time..."

"Hn…" Yuki murmured.

"You really are tired." Kyo sighed. "So get to bed, then…we'll go over this tomorrow."

"Why do you care if I do well in my classes or not?" Yuki suddenly asked. Kyo glanced sideways, surprised at the sudden show of energy. "And while we're on the subject, why are you trying to…to…to replay what happened years ago, or something! Why do you keep bringing up past events that don't even matter anymore? Why are you acting so damn--?!" Clenching his mouth shut and setting his jaw, Yuki looked away from his cousin's incredulous face. He gracefully rose from the couch and stalked off to the bedroom.

"…Do you really not know?" Kyo's voice came, soft and husky, cutting through the dimly lit bedroom. Yuki froze momentarily before continuing to change into his pajamas. He wouldn't answer the stupid crimson-eyed teen--he could think of nothing to say. This whole game was taking its toll on the silver-haired teen, and he wasn't sure how much more he could take.

"And you're supposed to be _smart_…" Kyo chuckled, coming up behind his cousin and wrapping his arms around the other's waist. Yuki pushed at him weakly.

"I have school tomorrow…I really have to get to bed…" Yuki half-pleaded, half-demanded.

Laughing quietly, Kyo let his silver-haired cousin go and watched as his roommate brushed his teeth and crawled into bed. After going back into the living room and packing up his cousin's school satchel, Kyo returned to the bedroom, got ready for bed, and slid under his covers, lying on his side and watching as Yuki lay asleep, completely dead to the world.

Kyo grinned, turning over and closing his own eyes.

Things were going almost exactly to plan.

Just a little longer, and the Rat would be completely trapped.

He just had to keep it up for a bit longer…

Yuki would break eventually.

Like a starving Rat at the sight of food.

An overpowering addiction.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Kyo wasn't there when the silver-haired teen woke up, but Yuki was used to that. Stumbling out of bed and taking a quick shower, the violet-eyed teen dried off and pulled on a pair of boxers and some khaki pants. Pulling out a dark blue button-up, the silver-haired teen began fastening the buttons. He was always better-dressed than his classmates, but after a lifetime of uniforms, Yuki didn't really feel right going to school in jeans and a t-shirt…

"I've always had a love-hate relationship with button-ups…"

Startled, Yuki jumped as a pair of familiar hands slid up under his shirt.

"Y'see, they're so useful for teasing…" Slowly unfastening a few buttons of his cousin's shirt, Kyo lightly traced his fingers down the smaller teen's body. Yuki froze, heart racing, as the crimson-eyed teen's hands slid down to his inner thighs, exploring. "But they also try my patience…"

"_Why can't you wear something that takes less time to unfasten?" Kyo demanded huskily, yanking at the ties of Yuki's Mandarin-styled shirt. _

"_D-don't…" Yuki gasped._

"_Don't what, rip your shirt or get you aroused?" Kyo grinned._

_Violet eyes glared up at him._

"_I'm already aroused, Stupid Cat." This silver-haired teen murmured, silencing any further complaints by the crimson-eyed teen with a kiss, arching his whole body against the other boy. Kyo moaned softly. _

"_But seriously," Yuki pulled back, his bottom lip slightly swollen. "Be more careful…I think Akito might be catching on."_

"_Mm…"Kyo mumbled, having finally managed to pull the other boy's shirt off. _

"Please…" Yuki whimpered, biting his lower lip. "I-I really have to get ready for school…"

Stopping his explorations, Kyo gently nipped his silver-haired roommate's ear and let go.

"Breakfast is waiting, and your bag's already packed." Kyo ran a hand through his vibrant orange hair. "I never understood why you liked wearing such tight pants, but I admit that I do like the way they fit you. You'll probably want to take a cold shower, by the way. Hurry, though; there's only fifteen minutes before you have to leave for school." Grinning, the crimson-eyed teen left the bedroom, closing the door behind him. Yuki felt his face flaring and, silently cursing, sprinted into the restroom to take a cold shower.

The stupid Cat was more of a demon. Straight out of hell.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Kyo stared at his upside-down reflection on the back of his cereal spoon.

His birthday was coming up.

Not that the Rat would remember it.

Due to their previous circumstances, it had been impossible to care about those kinds of things; they wouldn't have been able to do anything about birthdays and such. They were dancing a deadly act already, hiding what they were doing from the prying eyes of their entire family…particularly an obsessive Akito…celebrating each other's birthdays was simply too much of a risk.

Still…maybe Shishou would send something. Kyo wasn't particularly excited about his birthday, but he was always curious as to what sorts of presents people would give him, if they knew it was his birthday.

Glancing up as Yuki entered the room, wet from his second shower that morning, Kyo grinned.

"Check out this American stuff…it's called cereal. It's not all that bad. Kinda weird, but not all that bad." Shoving a bowl toward his scowling cousin, Kyo picked up his gym bag and waved. "See you tonight then, Rat."

Yuki didn't answer.

Kyo didn't particularly care.

The crimson-eyed teen was only capable of sitting back and considering his options for so long, before he _had_ to act.

When it came to Yuki, there were only two options: retreat, or attack full force.

He'd chosen the former before. This time, he'd chosen the latter.

And with a plan in mind and something to do, the Cat would be able to wait infinitely.

But he had a strong suspicion his efforts would be rewarded sooner rather than later…

**Hope you enjoyed that! Review and let me know what you think!  
****  
~WhitePhantom88**


	12. Intoxicated

_WhitePhantom88: Here's another chapter--enjoy! And thanks for the awesome reviews! :)_

**_~Hidden Addiction~_**

**_:Intoxicated:_**

Yuki picked up the mail, sorting through the various sized envelopes.

"Resident…resident…resident…" Murmuring under his breath, the silver-haired teen paused when he came to an envelope with his name on it. Glancing at the return address, Yuki hurriedly opened it.

Two tickets fluttered to the floor. Snatching them up, the silver-haired teen stuffed them in his pocket and hurriedly scanned the lazy scrawl on the accompanying stationary.

Thanks for the help. Remember--it's a surprise. Bring him over around eleven o'clock. Best of luck. Later, --Mike.

Crumpling the paper up and pressing the palms of his hands to his forehead, Yuki sighed. What had he been thinking…?

__

"Hey, Yuki!"

The silver-haired teen glanced up at the sound of his voice. His sandy-haired friend, Keith, was waving to him. Matt, whose hair was a dark shade of violet today, was standing next to him…as were two other young men Yuki couldn't recall having met before. Closing his laptop and packing his things, Yuki slung his satchel over his shoulder and made his way over to the four young men.

"Hello…" Yuki greeted the small group.

"Hey, Yuki…" Matt nodded, his voice monotonous as ever. "These guys were looking for you."

"Oh?" Yuki asked, keeping a neutral face as he surreptitiously studied the young men in question. One had messy, dark hair and a decidedly mischievous smile…the other, a vibrant blonde with green eyes, looked friendly enough, though his fun-loving grin made Yuki feel slightly wary.

"So you're Yuki Sohma, then?" The dark-haired stranger spoke up, his grin never fading. "I'm Mike…this is Chris." Jerking a thumb at his blonde friend, the dark-featured man didn't pause to let Yuki answer. "My dad owns the dojo Kyo works at."

"That's nice." Yuki replied politely, waiting for his newest acquaintance to get to the point. "…What does that have to do with me, though?"

Chris laughed.

"No wonder they said he was hard to approach." The blonde smiled kindly.

Yuki threw his friends an inquisitive glance. Matt shrugged, and Keith was about to answer when Mike spoke again.

"Kyo put you down as his reference, so we decided you'd be our best bet for getting some information on the little devil."

"I still don't understand."

"It's simple. My dad was simply amazed at how quickly Kyo managed to save the dojo…it was about to go out of business, when Dad decided to try one last time to save it. He hoped a foreign, straight-from-Japan teacher would incite interest, so he hired Kyo. Not only is Kyo Japanese, but he looks intriguing…I swear that the Hollywood agents are tailing him to and from the dojo, and Dad swears he's never seen so many girls enrolled in karate. The place has become a gold-mine, and Dad's thrilled. So he wants to throw Kyo a kind of 'thank-you party'."

"And since Mike has a decently understanding father," Chris cut in, continuing the narrative. "He left the whole 'thank-you' bash up to us…since we're more likely to understand 'the average teenage mind'…"

"But there's the problem." Mike grinned. "Kyo's no ordinary teen…we've got no real idea what he likes. So…"

"Care to help us out a little?" Chris asked.

"What Kyo likes…?" Yuki repeated slowly. "He likes heights…and action. And the color maroon. He likes entertainment…but not necessarily entertaining…so you shouldn't invite too many people to this thing. And he likes fish."

"Great." Mike interrupted. "I've got it. The exact thing. Do us one more favor, Yuki?"

"…What?"

"Get him to come to the party. He won't go if we ask…and to be frank, he probably won't go for you, either. So just, I dunno, lie or something, but get him to come, okay?" The dark-haired young man grinned. "Thanks, man. Catch you later." Waving lazily, Mike sauntered off, talking animatedly to Chris, who was pulling out his mobile and scrolling down his contact list.

"…I'm hard to approach?" Yuki asked, still processing everything that had just happened.

"Yuki, do you have any idea how many people on this campus know who you are?" Matt replied, blowing a few strands of hair out of his eyes. "About two-thirds of the campus. And it's a freakin' huge campus. You aren't exactly a run-of-the-mill student, and that kind of popularity makes you practically unapproachable by default."

"We're not saying you're some kind of freak or something…but you do have silver hair, and violet eyes. You're abnormally good-looking…like, you wandered off the set of a movie or something." Keith grinned. "And besides that, you're always so polite and nice, which, ironically makes people even more awed and intimidated by you. So even though everyone on campus could point Mike and Chris in the right direction, they all told them that it was pretty much hopeless trying to approach you unless they had an in."

"Which is why they came to us." Matt added, shuffling the tunes on his iphone.

"…The whole campus is afraid to approach me, except for the two of you?"

"And the half dozen or so girls who've attempted to ask you out…" Matt agreed. "Plus the seven guys who tried the same thing."

"So then you two are either completely oblivious to social norms, or you don't care about them." Yuki smiled.

"Yeah…I guess that's true…" Keith said slowly, before laughing. "Truthfully, I didn't think twice about introducing myself to you when we first met…and I guess I never really thought to back off afterward. I guess I am kind of oblivious."

"Yeah, man…" Matt commented dully. "You are."

Pulling out the tickets, Yuki scanned them, trying to figure out what exactly the deviant, dark-haired Mike and his friend Chris had planned.

Opening his laptop and looking up the name of the place on the ticket, Yuki groaned. This _would _be the sort of thing Mike and Chris would plan…

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Kyo yawned.

After a long, intensive day at the dojo, he'd come home to an unusually sedated Yuki, who refused to participate in karate or English lessons. The crimson-eyed teen debated pressing the matter, but decided against it. He _was_ tired. His class had been extremely energetic…

Lounging on the couch, the orange-haired teen watched his cousin studiously laboring over his textbooks.

"Understand everything?" Kyo asked, getting up and leaning over the silver-haired teen's shoulder.

"Yes, thank you." Yuki replied shortly, keeping his gaze on his worksheet.

"Hn…" Kyo complained, walking back to the couch and collapsing onto it, an arm draped over his eyes. He would go crazy with restlessness if he didn't do something soon…he may as well get to bed.

Glancing at the clock, Kyo sighed. It was only ten-fifteen. But there was nothing else to do…

Besides, the sooner he went to bed, the sooner tomorrow would come.

Tomorrow…his birthday…

Maybe Shishou had sent something.

He pulled himself off the couch and headed toward the bedroom.

"Where are you going?"

Kyo turned to look at his cousin, eyebrows raised.

"To bed. I'm tired."

"You can't." Yuki stood up.

"Uh…why not?" Kyo quirked an eyebrow at the silver-haired teen.

"Because…because I need your help with this…" Yuki gestured to his homework.

"I thought you said you understood it." Kyo pointed out, walking over to the kitchen table anyway and glancing at the text. "We went over this yesterday. You know what to do."

"I forgot."

"Why are you lying?" Kyo raised his gaze, catching his cousin's eye and waiting.

"I'm not." Yuki declared, glancing at the clock…forty minutes to stall. Kyo was still in his t-shirt and training pants, having not bothered to change after coming back from the dojo…Yuki silently cursed. That was another problem…there was no way the Cat could show up wearing those clothes…

"Yeah, you are." Kyo sighed, running a hand through his hair. "This is simple, Yuki…it took you less than ten minutes to get the hang of it yesterday. You can't honestly expect me to believe you forgot it all."

"Humor me, then."

Throwing the silver-haired teen a suspicious glance, the crimson-eyed teen shrugged and sat down in a chair. He was getting rather agitated. After treating him so coldly the whole evening, suddenly the Rat was making demands and somehow getting Kyo to agree to whatever he asked…the crimson-eyed teen was being toyed with again. Simple as that. Anger started boiling in Kyo's veins.

Until slender hands cupped his face and sweet, addicting lips gently massaged his own.

Yuki maneuvered onto Kyo's lap, straddling the teen and nipping at his lower lip. Surprised, but still suspecting some sort of catch, the crimson-eyed teen opened his mouth and battled for dominance over the kiss. His hands were already running all over the familiar, slender body in his lap.

"You could have just _told _me this was what you wanted…" Kyo murmured huskily when they broke for air. Yuki didn't answer, his cheeks flushing a deeper shade of red as he once again initiated a kiss. The silver-haired teen willed himself not to think; he just needed to act on instinct…he was terrified to think about what he was doing…and quite frankly, stringing together a coherent thought was hard as hell right now…

But there was something he had to do.

The thought, although it only lingered for less than a second, was enough to enable the slender teen to pull back. Stumbling off of his cousin's lap and bumping into the kitchen table, Yuki gazed at his crimson-eyed roommate through intense, violet eyes.

"Bedroom?" He whispered coyly.

"Wasn't that where I wanted to go in the first place…?" Kyo answered, his voice low and breathy. A small smirk graced his features, his crimson eyes bright.

They had barely made it into the room before Kyo reached out and pulled his silver-haired roommate into his arms. Yuki immediately slipped his hands under the lanky teen's shirt, looking up at his taller cousin with an expectant gaze and tugging impatiently on his clothes.

It wasn't long before Kyo was completely undressed, and Yuki had been stripped to his boxers. Sliding a hand between the silver-haired teen's legs, the crimson-eyed Cat felt a shiver of delight and pure desire course through his body at the sound of familiar, rousing soft moans.

"Sh-shower…" Yuki gasped, trying feebly to remove his cousin's hold.

"Hn…?" Kyo asked, still exploring and teasing every inch of the pale body beside him.

"Let's take a shower…" Yuki whispered, squirming in his cousin's hold, but regaining a bit of control over his body.

"…Now?" Kyo asked sulkily.

"Yes…" Yuki answered, catching the crimson-eyed teen's gaze from under his own long eyelashes.

"Fine…" Kyo agreed after another moment's hesitation. He didn't want to stop, but Yuki had been extremely compliant with his wishes that night…the crimson-eyed teen didn't want to scare the Rat back into hiding by demanding too much…

Reluctantly letting go of the silver-haired teen, Kyo walked toward the restroom. He jumped when he heard the door slam behind him.

"What the hell?" Kyo demanded, trying to open the door. But Yuki had blocked it with something. "Yuki--!"

The Rat _had _just been toying with him the whole time! Why had he even considered thinking otherwise?!

"Just take a shower. You still reek of the dojo." The silver-haired teen replied softly.

Cursing, Kyo complied. He _was _covered with sweat…although, it wasn't from the dojo.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Yuki hurriedly stuffed all of Kyo's clothing into a large duffel bag, laying out only a pair of boxers and the outfit Ayame had given the crimson-eyed teen as a parting gift. The Snake had, as usual, been completely unique in his gift. The clothes weren't anything like what Kyo usually wore--a pair of black slacks with a wine-colored button-up. Still, the Rat knew his cousin would look amazing in the outfit…no doubt the Snake had known Kyo could pull it off, as well…

The shower went off. Yuki grabbed the duffel bag and pushed the bureau he'd used to barricade the bathroom door back against the other wall of the bedroom.

Kyo came out of the bathroom, scowling. Without a word, Yuki slipped past his cousin and into the bathroom, taking the duffel bag with him and locking the bathroom door behind him. He turned the shower on and quickly began to cleanse himself. They were probably going to be late…

"Yuki, where the hell are all my clothes?!" Impatient banging on the bathroom door caused Yuki to grin. This was actually kind of fun…

"I left some on your bed." The silver-haired teen called back, turning the shower off . He heard his cousin grumble, the rustling of clothes, and the sound of the crimson-eyed teen sitting rather angrily down on his bed.

Drying himself thoroughly and dressing in his own clothes, Yuki unlocked the lavatory door and came out.

"What the hell is going on?" Kyo demanded, taking in his cousin's attire--a very dark maroon-colored mandarin-styled shirt and black slacks.

"I need you to come with me." Yuki replied, glancing at the clock. By some miracle, they still had five minutes to get there. It wasn't far. If they hurried…

"Give me one good reason why I should." Kyo snarled, crossing his arms.

"I don't have one, but you're coming anyway." Yuki replied, grabbing his cousin's arm and yanking.

"You think I'm going to just do whatever you want, damn Rat?" Kyo demanded, wrenching his arm free.

"Aren't you curious to find out what's going on?" Yuki asked, exasperated. He was grasping at straws, trying anything to get the Cat to agree. "I'm obviously up to something!"

"Yeah, that's what I'm worried about." Kyo snapped. Still, the crimson-eyed teen was wavering. Yuki could see it in the way his heated crimson glare was flaring up with that certain light.

"…I'm not going to wait forever, Cat." Yuki smiled. "You know you want to follow me." Turning away, grabbing his wallet, and slipping the apartment key in his pocket, the silver-haired teen walked out of the front door.

Cursing under his breath, Kyo reluctantly grabbed his own wallet and followed.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

They were late.

Only by a few minutes, but they were still late.

Yuki paused, looking up at the sky-scraper building, before entering and making his way over to the elevator. Kyo followed, scowling the entire time. Pushing the button for the top floor, Yuki sighed.

He'd made it.

When the elevator doors opened, the silver-haired teen stepped out and walked over to two glass doors, where two tall, muscular men stood, wearing suits.

"Good evening." Yuki greeted them, taking out his wallet and pulling two tickets from it. Handing them to one of the men, the silver-haired teen waited. Out of the corner of his eye, he could see a look of pure puzzlement on his cousin's face.

"Welcome to The Edge." The man guarding the door nodded to the two teens and opened one of the glass doors, allowing them entrance.

Kyo took in his surroundings, completely confused. The room--if you could call it that--had a ceiling. It had a floor. But there were no walls; the ceiling was supported by the a few columns stretching from ceiling to floor, and instead of walls, railings surrounded the perimeter. On the other side of the railings was nothing but open sky--the place was like a giant terrace.

A giant terrace way up in the sky, with a bar, blasting dance music, and multi-colored lights flashing everywhere.

"Kyo! You made it!" Mike laughed, stumbling over to where the two teens stood immobilized. "CONGRATULATIONS!!"

"He means THANK YOU!!" Chris laughed, appearing out of nowhere and leaning heavily on Yuki's shoulder.

"And THANK YOU, too, YUKI!!" Mike tipped his glass toward the silver-haired teen who was trying to politely shrug Chris off his shoulder. "Go get a DRINK!! This is a party, after all--everyone here is a guest of mine!"

"Thanks, but--" Kyo began.

"Oh, bullshit, man…" Mike interrupted. "Go get a damn DRINK!! I know you're underage, but the bar-tender doesn't give a DAMN, haha!"

"You're completely trashed." Kyo observed.

"And you're completely SOBER!!" Mike laughed.

It was going to be a long night.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

"So you went through all that trouble just to get me to come here…?" Kyo breathed into Yuki's ear. The silver-haired teen jumped in surprise; Kyo had disappeared on him a while back, and the violet-eyed boy had been floating around on his own. He'd only just escaped from a drunken party-goer who'd been incessantly hitting on him…physically as well as verbally.

"It wasn't _my_ idea…"Yuki replied, attempting to walk away. But Kyo pulled him back, turning the slender teen around to face him, and leaning his forehead against the shorter boy's. He gazed into his cousin's shocked violet eyes for a moment, before leaning in and kissing him.

Yuki felt himself melt against the crimson-eyed teen's lanky, familiar body, taking refuge in it. He'd been on edge the entire night, trying to fend off multiple advances…his usual tactful approach, he found, was completely useless against drunks. He hated being surrounded by all these strangers…he'd felt so lost and out of place…why was it he felt so…so _safe_ in Kyo's grasp…?

The heavy beat of the music, along with the taste of alcohol in Kyo's kiss and the mind-numbing flash of colored lights, made it impossible for the silver-haired teen to think. Before he knew it, he'd been pressed against one of the columns at the edge of the terrace-rave, his body tender and unsatisfied.

"OMIGOSH--_OMIGOSH!!_"

The extremely-loud, high-pitched voices caused both teens to wince in pain. Turning toward the interruption, Kyo glared at the small group of teenage girls who'd gathered around to watch.

Suddenly, the volume of the music seemed way too loud…his eardrums felt like they were being used by a hard-rock drummer. His head was pounding harder than his heart. Clenching his teeth, Kyo reached back and grabbed Yuki by the wrist, bringing his lips to his cousin's ear.

"Make them leave us the hell alone…" He whispered.

Yuki glanced at his cousin's eyes, noting just how dilated the crimson-eyed teen's pupils were. He glanced back over to where the small crowd waited eagerly. Smiling coldly, Yuki slung one of his cousin's arms around his shoulders, then stiffened slightly as Kyo moved it so that it was slung around the teen's slender waist…almost possessively. Placing a slow kiss on the silver-haired teen's cheek, Kyo rested his head on the slender teen's shoulder, leaning slightly against his silver-haired roommate.

"He's had enough for tonight…he's feeling tired…he wants to get to bed…" Yuki kept his cold smile in place, making his way through the crowd with polite but distant remarks and explanations.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Somehow managing to unlock and open the door to their apartment, Yuki maneuvered both himself and his cousin into their bedroom.

Yuki glanced at the clock.

3 AM.

He dumped Kyo onto his bed, and accidentally collapsed down next to the crimson-eyed teen.

"Happy birthday, stupid Cat…" Yuki mumbled hoarsely, his throat dry. Hoisting himself into a sitting position, the silver-haired teen tried to gather the strength it would take to walk over to his own bed.

Before he'd made it halfway across the room, though, a pair of lean, strong arms wrapped themselves around his waist, pulling him against a warm body.

"You could make it one…" Kyo whispered, his barely uncoordinated hands managing to unfasten Yuki's slacks with relative ease.

"So you're not drunk, after all…" Yuki observed, trying to keep at least an ounce of air in his lungs. "Just tipsy."

"I'm fucking intoxicated…" Kyo corrected, stripping the silver-haired teen in minutes, burying his face in Yuki's hair and impatiently roaming his hands all over the paler teen's body before capturing the silver-haired teen's mouth in a ravenous kiss.

"K-Kyo!" Yuki whimpered as the crimson-eyed teen finally released his mouth. The lanky teen didn't answer, but shoved the slender teen against the bedroom wall, trailing hungry kisses and impatient nips down his body. Squirming under the crimson-eyed teen's arousing touch, Yuki gasped before biting his lower lip as Kyo's mouth grazed against the violet-eyed teen's groin.

Feeling his every limb weaken, Yuki moaned as Kyo thrust against him. Somewhere along the line, Kyo had lost his clothing. Slumping down to the ground as his legs finally gave way, Yuki opened his previously squeezed-shut eyes to find a crimson-gaze staring intently at him. Straddling the silver-haired teen, Kyo pinned his cousin's wrists against the wall, and slanting his mouth over Yuki's parted, swollen lips, the crimson-eyed teen once again explored the inside of the silver-haired teen's mouth, relishing each seductive groan that escaped the smaller teen's lips and entered his.

Pulling back, Kyo yanked Yuki to his feet, sliding his hands between the paler teen's legs, groping him before spreading his legs apart and hoisting them around his own waist. Yuki complied, his legs shaking slightly as he wound his legs around the lanky teen, pressing against his groin, slender arms wrapped around the lanky teen's back, nails digging into his skin ever so lightly. Gripping the silver-haired teen's ass, Kyo stumbled over to the bed and collapsed onto it, barely able to contain himself as the ragged breath and seductive mewls of his cousin filled his ears.

This had been his bait…this was how he'd planned to lure the Rat out of hiding.

But something in his plan had gone wrong. Horribly wrong.

The thing about bait…about a lure…is that it's supposed to be yanked away right before the prey is completely satisfied, forcing the prey to come out further and further, until it can no longer return.

But Kyo couldn't pull back this time.

He'd been caught by his own snare.

Yuki couldn't think straight…all he knew was that he _wanted_…wanted more, and wanted it _now_.

His whole being was filled with desire, and desire only…desire for Kyo.

There wasn't any turning back now.

There wasn't any denying it.

He was completely intoxicated with his addiction…

Arching into the equally aroused body above him, the silver-haired teen moaned into a hot, dominating mouth, deciding that he didn't care what sort of hangover the morning might bring…

This intoxication was worth it.

**Haha, so who thinks the following morning is going to be interesting...? :-) Well, review and tell me what you think! Good, bad, anything--it will be put to good use! Oh, and by the way, I have no idea whether there actually is a club in Los Angeles like 'The Edge' or not...it'd be cool if there was, though...I'd wanna go to a club like that! Haha...well, until the next chapter then,**

**~WhitePhantom88**


	13. Reckless

_WhitePhantom88: Hey, sorry for the delay--I didn't mean to leave the last chapter at such a cliff-hangery/drama-filled spot. :P Not without uploading the next chapter soon after, anyway. But I suddenly realized I needed to pack for school...so that took up about a day and a half. But enough excuses! On with the story, shall we? This chapter's a bit dramatic, with a more angsty feel to it, so I hope you enjoy!_

_**~Hidden Addiction~**_

_**:Reckless:**_

They had fallen asleep together before…

Usually in the dojo's private training room, or in one of the Sohma Main Estate's seldom used storage houses…

Always fully clothed…because they were only too aware of how easily one mistake would affect their lives…the instant Kyo would hear a noise, he'd wake up and shove his silver-haired secret.

In the dojo, they'd immediately begin an impromptu-fight. In the storage house, the crimson-eyed boy would sneak out of a back window, leaving Yuki to wander around on his own…the silver-haired teen had become notorious for walking out by himself.

The sound of birds singing jerked Kyo awake this time. Stifling the urge to shove his bed-mate, the crimson-eyed young man drank in the sight of his roommate sleeping beside him.

Smiling to himself, Kyo pressed his forehead against his cousin's, feeling his eyes falling shut as he slipped once again into a peaceful sleep.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Yuki had been laying in a daze for a while, eyes closed, simply enjoying the warmth and security he felt all around him. Usually he was freezing at night…the central air-conditioning was always set at a ridiculously cold degree, but since there was no way in hell the silver-haired teen was going to admit his sensitivity to temperature to his cocky cousin, the violet-eyed Rat had merely dealt with it as best he could the past two weeks. This past night, though…it had been ecstasy…warmth, security…

But those weren't the only reasons…

Eyes snapping open as dazed sleep fled completely, Yuki jerked backward, shoving against the familiar, lean, and warm body before him. Crimson eyes roamed his face inquisitively as Yuki scrambled backward, desperately trying to avoid his cousin's gaze. Falling off the bed in a tangle of sheets, the silver-haired teen frantically half-sprinted, half-tripped over to his bureau, clumsily rummaging around for clothes…any clothes.

"Yuki…" A sleep-rough voice called out. "It's Saturday…they don't have school on Saturdays in America…"

The silver-haired teen froze, trying to think of something to say, but unable to speak. There was no way he'd ended up in this predicament again--!! Why couldn't he ever _learn_?

"…So put your clothes back. I don't want to see you dressed yet." Hot breath rushed into Yuki's ear as a warm body enveloped him, and the silver-haired teen felt himself melting…

Why did he have to be so _helpless_? His eyes were stinging madly. Why did he have to want Kyo so _badly_? A drop of warm saltwater trailed down his cheek. Wiping at it furiously, the silver-haired teen tensed as tanned hands slid from his abdomen toward his waist.

Jerking wildly, Yuki spun around to face his shocked cousin. Shoving with all his might, the silver-haired teen glared at Kyo through blurry, tear-filled eyes, his hands clenched into fists, his lips trembling.

"Don't _touch_ me! Don't come near me! What the hell did you think you were _doing_?!"

"Oh, no you don't…" Kyo muttered, his eyes narrowing. The Rat was always like this…taking whatever he wanted, charming his way out of blame…somehow the orange-haired Cat always ended up responsible for _everything_!

"I can't believe you--!!" An anguished cry fell from Yuki's mouth as he covered his face with his hands, turning away from his cousin.

"Don't even **_try_** and blame last night on me, damn Rat!" Kyo's voice was molten lava; white-hot rage flared through his body, growing with each passing second.

"_You're_ the one who got wasted and started trying shit!" Yuki spat, backing up against the wall, his face still hidden beneath his hands.

"_You_ went along willingly enough--_not_ _once_ did you tell me to stop or anything! Who do you think you are?! Going around and toying with whomever you feel like--WHY THE HELL ARE YOU EVEN TRYING TO BLAME THIS ON ME?! Why can't you own up for once--IF YOU DIDN'T WANT TO GET INTO THIS AGAIN, WHY DIDN'T YOU QUIT MESSING WITH ME?!" Kyo could barely speak straight; his mind was crazed, floundering, full of anger and confusion.

There had been many times--_so_ many times--during their high school years, when the Rat had messed with him, twisting an insult into a flirtatious comment, gazing with intense eyes, staring at him, pressing all his buttons, exploiting and showing off how intimately he knew the crimson-eyed teen's every weakness…

"IT ISN'T MY FAULT!!" Yuki screamed, palms of his hands pressing against his eyelids, fingers pulling at his hair, anguished thoughts running through his head. He was weak--he knew that; the Cat didn't have to remind him! It wasn't like he could just _deny_ the Cat and be done with it! Hell, he had a hard time denying Haru--so how was he supposed to keep himself from getting so involved with someone he actually _wanted_? "You…you're the one always starting things…" Yuki pointed out, his voice shaking.

Kyo paused. That was true…he'd always been initiating things…but then, Yuki had always been teasing him…how was he supposed to resist? The Rat had been inexplicably tempting from the start…

_There he was, waiting for his parents. Standing there, glancing at me every so often. Walking over to where he stood, I caught his violet gaze with my own burning crimson eyes. A soft sound escaped his lips, expressing a feeling somewhere between fear and…desire._

_I lost it._

_Shishou always said I needed to work on self-control._

_We had only been kissing (inexperienced but experimental) for a few seconds before he pulled back, covering his very-red lips with a slender wrist._

_"We--we'll be seen…out here." He gasped, and the very sound of his voice almost made me cry with desire._

_I grabbed his wrist and dragged him to the room Shishou hardly ever used. He said it was a private training room. I wondered whether he really had any students he trained one-on-one…well, besides me. But we'd never been in this room._

_Glaring at him, because I was still unused to smiling or anything else, I resumed where we'd left off. He pulled back again._

_"Mother…when she comes…she'll wonder where I am."_

_"When is she getting here?" I asked impatiently._

_"…Five."_

_"Then we still have time." I pulled him back to me. He responded hungrily, desperately, before--damn him--pulling back again._

_"How do you know…?"_

_"I just do." I growled--we had time, but it wasn't much. "You make me angry when you pull back like that."_

_I was a rather blunt child._

_"S-sorry." Yuki replied, but I saw what I thought might be--delight?--in his eyes. He shyly leaned forward, kissing me._

_I almost didn't tell him when it was five._

_But then, I figured, he wouldn't be able to come back._

_And I didn't know if I could live with that._

"…You can't keep running around and hiding, Yuki. Choose." Kyo glared at his cousin, locking gazes with him, grateful that the silver-haired teen had finally uncovered his face.

"…We're cousins." Yuki pointed out, looking away.

Kyo snorted impatiently.

"Hardly--and you _know_ it. Now answer the question." Stalking over to the silver-haired teen and ramming an impatient fist into the wall by his head, Kyo grabbed Yuki's jaw with his other hand and jerked his face upward, causing silver bangs to reveal violet eyes. "Do you want me, or not?"

"H-how can you strut around demanding things so cockily when you're completely naked?" Yuki asked, his gaze flickering to the side.

"You're not going to side-track this conversation." Kyo declared, keeping a firm grip on his cousin's face and frowning.

"You're sure?" Yuki asked, locking gazes once more and letting his eyes glimmer hungrily. Sliding a hand down his cousin's toned abs, the silver-haired teen leaned forward until their breath mingled tantalizingly.

"Ah, _shit_--Yuki!" Slamming the smaller teen against the wall, Kyo managed to keep his mouth millimeters away from the lips that suddenly filled his thoughts.

"Yes…?" The silver-haired teen asked, gazing lustily at the other young man, eyes half-lidded, lips parted expectantly.

"So you _do_ want me, then…" Kyo smirked, breathing into his slender roommate's mouth. He felt the other teen tense slightly.

It was a circular fight. If he tried to avoid telling Kyo how he felt, he only ended up showing the crimson-eyed young man.

"I…" Yuki tried to think of some way out. But he was trapped.

Like a Rat.

"Yes…?" Kyo prodded, a knowing smirk on his ever-so-close lips.

Lunging forward and ravenously kissing that taunting mouth, those cocky lips, Yuki once again threw caution to the winds. He was reckless, and he knew it.

The Rat was supposed to be a cunning, witty, brilliant strategist who outsmarted his opponents, always winning, always on top.

But what sort of brilliant strategist kept throwing himself into the very midst of temptation?

'Rats aren't as cunning as everyone thinks they are,' Yuki observed as he entangled himself in the body of his obsessive desire. 'They're reckless, running out and teasing the one thing they want--the one thing certain to kill them. They play a deadly game every day of their lives, never trying to find a way out…' This dance was his life. He _wanted_ to be chased like this; wanted to be desired by something that had the power to completely destroy him.

Like every Rat, the thought of being destroyed frightened him…but he couldn't hold back for long, regardless. Even if it ended up killing him…if he ended up completely used and broken…this was something he couldn't deny.

An overwhelming, consuming, destructive addiction.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

They lay heavily breathing on the hard wooden floor of their bedroom.

Kyo had done his best to not get distracted or sidetracked.

His best hadn't been very good.

Pouncing suddenly, Kyo pinned his silver-haired roommate once more against the wall.

"Did you think you could just start up again?" He asked quietly. "Did you think all I want is to be toyed with, used and then discarded when you don't want to play anymore? I'm not up for that, Yuki…I'm not willing to watch as you go hiding again. So…so either _tell_ me why you…why you just _stopped_ all those years ago…or I'm out."

"…Why does it matter?" Yuki asked softly, his head ducked, expression hidden under silken strands of silver hair.

"Because it does, all right?" Kyo struggled to keep his voice even. "**_Because I need to know that you won't leave me outside again!_**"

Crimson eyes grew wild as thoughts Yuki could only guess at flew through the young man's mind.

"D-don't…" Yuki whispered, feeling as though the treacherous organ in his left ribcage had been torn apart by sympathy and terror.

"_Answer_ me, dammit!" Kyo tightened his grip on Yuki's shoulders.

"Don't _fuck_ with me!" Yuki screamed, wrenching free from Kyo's grasp, tripping over his own feet as he made for the door.

He never made it.

Kyo swept his leg out, knocking the slender teen's legs out from under him. Sprawled on the floor, expression anguished and fearful, Yuki watched as the crimson-eyed young man slowly came toward him, then crouched over to meet his cousin's violet gaze. Yuki could feel himself trembling under the scorching crimson gaze that scrutinized his face. Without thinking, the silver-haired teen felt his expression twist into an apathetic mask. He was terrified…he was weak…and so he ran away and hid.

"…Fine." Kyo straightened up, wearing the most bitter look Yuki had ever seen grace the orange-head's face. He was dressed in seconds and walking out the door.

"Kyo--!" Yuki gasped out, breaking past the unintentional barricade he'd set up over his emotions. He really _was_ reckless…

The crimson-eyed young man paused, partially turning to look passionlessly at the silver-haired teen. He was slightly surprised to see that Yuki wasn't looking at him--even more shocked to see that his slender body was shaking with ragged, uncontrollable dry sobs.

"I…" Biting his lower lip and attempting to calm down, the violet-eyed teen took a deep breath. The whole, painful experience was coming back to him…he spoke slowly, feeling more and more liberated as the words flowed forth, easier and easier, until he was reliving his adolescent years with painful clarity…

_The realization had hit me hard._

_I felt like it would kill me._

_I hoped it would._

_I'd known Mother was distant…I knew she always wanted me to make her proud…I knew that she would love me as long as I pleased her. Or at least…that's what I'd thought.  
Hadn't I been good enough?_

_Akito had always wanted me near--I had been the head of the family's favorite. I'd pleased the dark-haired boy as well as I could. I'd learned to cough silently, smile when I felt like crying, promise love when my heart felt empty, and believe obediently when I'd rather kill…I'd given my soul to the head of the family….and then been thrown aside as the dark-haired boy's attentions were consumed by the Rooster._

_Was that how it would always be?_

_I'd given everything…all I wanted was to be wanted….to be wanted for what I was, for what I could be, for who I was…all of it, everything…I wanted to be wanted, not as a means to an end, but…but as a companion, as a loved person, traveling along in life, searching together with someone for something that would make us…completely happy._

_Maybe it was too much to ask._

_I bit down on the soft, sweet ginger-tasting lip, trying my hardest to forget everything that had happened…everything I'd realized during this hell of a week…now-familiar tanned hands ran down my abdomen, eliciting shivers from my sensitive body._

_--"Did you know, Yuki…?"--_

_I thrust forward, asserting myself on my crimson-eyed cousin, trying to erase Akito's latest words from my thoughts._

_--"I made a deal with that monster…"--_

_Betrayal coursed through my veins, and I bit into the Cat's neck, a small, growling sound emitting from my lips. The crimson-eyed boy gasped, pausing momentarily, before engaging me in a battle for dominance. I fought back this time…harder than ever._

_--"His life for your defeat."--_

_Akito's cold, dark smile appeared unbidden in my mind's eye as I shoved Kyo against the wall. Opening my eyes and scrutinizing the tanned face before me, I felt my heart freeze over._

_--"He's much more cunning than I would have expected."--_

_A small smile crossed Kyo's features…a smile I'd only recently come to see._

_--"Hiding under the façade of a blundering, idiotic fool, he plays people all too well."--_

_Running a hand across my cheek, Kyo silently admitted defeat, still smirking cockily._

_--"I never would have made such a deal with him, if he hadn't so stupidly, so obstinately, insisted he could defeat you."--_

_I felt my resolve wavering. I wanted him badly…but how many more times would I play the reckless fool, before I found out that everyone who wanted me never really wanted **me**?_

_--"Yes…our little monster is quite cunning indeed. He knows very well the advantages of being a perceived idiot. No one would ever dream of suspecting that our supposedly-idiotic Cat could actually catch the Rat. But now that he's so gracefully arranged a considerable prize for catching you, I wonder, Yuki…" Akito smiled coldly at me. "What do you think he has planned?"--_

_Kyo had always seen me for me. Always. He knew what I hated, knew what I loved, knew what I was good at, and knew every weakness I possessed. We had even incorporated that knowledge into our act. As rivals, it would be natural to know everything about each other…Kyo would never challenge me at something I was particularly good at (unless he was acting particularly stupid at the time)…and he would always challenge me to something I wasn't good at…still failing to beat me, though._

_I, in turn, had found out the same sorts of things about him. I knew, for instance, that Kyo loved a challenge, a chase, a game…he might seem lazy and uninterested, but he had an adept mind and a burning curiosity…and he hated being bored._

_As my crimson-eyed cousin maneuvered his way under my clothing once more, I snapped._

_Why should he like me? Why should he want to be with me? I was nothing to him--nothing but another cousin…we had hundreds…and besides that, I was the Rat. There was something inside of me that wanted, although vaguely, to see Kyo dead. There had to be something in him, wanting and waiting to kill me. We weren't purely animals, but still--we were strongly influenced._

_We were bitter enemies. That's all we had reason to be. _

_He couldn't want me…not for anything more than winning a deal with Akito. Not for anything more than amusement. Not for anything but reasons that didn't matter. I felt a familiar crumbling sensation as my last hope for a true relationship shattered in the face of yet another devastating realization._

_What else could a Cat want, but to play with a Rat?_

_Unless, of course, his aim was to 'kill'…to defeat._

_Self-preservation was only natural._

_And I stood in the way of his life._

_I could hear the smirk in his voice as his hot breath rushed against my ear, asking "Is something the matter?"_

_Like he would care._

_We'd never really talked--our whole relationship was physical._

_I pulled back, this time insistent._

_He grabbed at me, a scowl on his face._

_"What the hell, Yuki?"_

_I didn't answer. Apparently my cousin had yet to learn that I hadn't been speaking for weeks._

_It was a telling mark of our relationship._

_A relationship I was determined to end._

_I stood up, dressing and gathering my things. I left him, sitting there with a puzzled look on his face. I felt my insides freeze over entirely, and took refuge in an emotionless existence._

_If I was nothing but a tool, then I'd better act like one._

_And what good were feelings to a tool?_

"…Ever since that time…" Yuki kept his eyes shut, fighting down the urge to wrap his arms around himself and curl into a ball. "I've--I've always sort of kept an even greater distance between myself and other people. I've always been…I am just so…so damn weak…that all I can ever do is run, hide, and protect myself by freezing over. It…it was my most useful asset…and you, you stupid, damn, graceless Cat…you always saw right through it, disregarding it, attacking me and acting just like you always did. I…even though I never showed it, even though I wasn't willing to--to get involved with you again…all through high school, I really loved that about you. You always saw me for me…you never said anything, but you acted as though there was nothing I could hide behind. It really scared me shitless, but…but it also…it…" Fumbling for words, the silver-haired teen bit his lower lip again, hating the way he knew his hands were shaking.

Yuki's eyes flew open as a gasp escaped his lips, startled by the sudden, strong grasp around his trembling hands.

Burning crimson eyes gazed at him, concern and tenderness etched into every feature of the tanned face. Pressing his forehead against Yuki's, Kyo slowly licked at the trail of tears running down the slender teen's cheeks. Letting go of his younger roommate's hands, the orange-haired young man pulled Yuki into a gentle embrace.

Curling the fabric of Kyo's shirt around his slender fingers, Yuki buried his face in the crook of Kyo's neck and breathed a shuddering sigh, feeling the beginnings of hope stir again.

He really was reckless.

"…I wish you had told me all this sooner…" Kyo spoke quietly, pensively. Yuki glanced up at the crimson-eyed young man, who returned his wide-eyed stare with a gentle, ironic smile. "But I guess I've got some things to say that are a long time coming, as well." Pushing the silver-haired teen off of him, the crimson-eyed young man smiled.

"I need you to get dressed first, though…you're _way_ too distracting, sitting here between my legs without a scrap of clothing on. If I'm going to say what I want to say, I need to have at least some semblance of concentration."

Flushing, Yuki pulled back.

Kyo rose, grabbing his slender roommate by the arm and pulling him up as well.

"Getting dressed should go faster with two sets of hands." The crimson-eyed young man pointed out, a glint in his gaze.

Theoretically, maybe that was true.

But Yuki found--and not that he was going to complain--that having Kyo help him dress was about the biggest hindrance the silver-haired teen could have wished for. It was a pleasant hindrance, but a hindrance all the same. And the Yuki really wanted clothes--he was tired of being naked. At least, when the Cat was fully covered--it wasn't fair. And since there was no apparent way of hiding his soul, at least the violet-eyed teen could hide his body.

Kyo's idea of helping consisted of Yuki merely stepping into his clothes and letting his crimson-eyed roommate take care of the rest. Holding his boxers out--the maroon ones, of course--Kyo waited until Yuki had slipped both feet into them. Sliding the close-fitting garment up his roommate's long, slender legs and finally resting the waistband on Yuki's slender hips, Kyo placed a rather teasing kiss on the silver-haired teen's crotch.

"Kyo-o…!" Yuki murmured disapprovingly. The crimson-eyed young man laughed quietly, hot breath rushing against Yuki's groin.

"Don't say my name like that…" Kyo glanced up, a mischievous smirk on his lips. "Or I won't be held responsible for the consequences."

Slipping into his pants much the same way, Yuki bit his lower lip, smothering a pleased moan as Kyo reached from behind to slowly, teasingly zip the slacks over Yuki's forming arousal, pressing forward against the silver-haired teen ever-so-slightly from behind.

"D-don't!" Yuki managed to say fairly evenly.

"Sorry…force of habit…" Kyo chuckled darkly.

"Yeah, I'm sure…" Yuki replied sourly, cheeks flushing.

Sliding a shirt over the teen's head--Yuki had refused to let Kyo dress him in a button-up, seeing how things had gone so far--Kyo quickly licked and bit each protruding nipple on the paler boy's chest before trailing kisses down his abdomen, tightening his grasp on the teen as Yuki squirmed under his touch. Placing one last kiss on the sensitive skin where shirt meets pants, Kyo let go of the fabric of Yuki's top, quickly running his hands over familiarly slender buttocks and down long legs, before standing up and grinning in a slightly ashamed manner at his glaring, flush-cheeked roommate.

"I'll be good now." Kyo promised, sitting back on the bed and pulling the silver-haired teen toward him. Turning Yuki around so that he could sit his cousin on the bed as well, the crimson-eyed young man nestled Yuki between his legs, wrapping his arms around the smaller teen.

"_Can_ you be good like this?"

"I can try."

"Not very reassuring…" Yuki mumbled, but didn't attempt to change their position. "…Don't you have to concentrate on what you were going to tell me?"

"I can concentrate a lot better, now that you've got clothes on." Kyo grinned.

"So then stop messing around and tell me already." The silver-haired teen wriggled slightly, trying to get free of Kyo's grasp.

The movement made Kyo's concentration waver--drastically.

"Don't move." The crimson-eyed teen half-begged, half-demanded. "I…I need to tell you like this. I want you close to me, in my arms…so that you can't run off before I'm done…and I'd rather you were facing away, because I don't want to have to look you in the eye…I'm…afraid I'll backtrack if I do." Kyo laughed softly, nuzzling his cousin's neck from behind. "…You do know that your angel's face doesn't exactly inspire confidence, right?"

"Hn." Yuki replied caustically, but Kyo could see the color in the silver-haired teen's cheeks deepen. He nipped hungrily at the pale teen's neck.

"Ah…" Yuki gasped, brow furrowing. "D-don't _you_ change the subject now! You said you wanted to tell me something, so get on with it!"

Shifting the two of them into a more comfortable position, Kyo took a deep breath and tried to figure out how he'd convey a lifetime of feelings into words…

**So I hope you enjoyed that...I thought it was high time one of the two came clean. ;P I'm off to school tomorrow, and so I won't be updating very much/at all, depending on how mcuh work I have to do and what my freetime looks like...I hope this isn't too bad of a place to stop, but I'll finish it over winter break, so keep a look out! I've got fall break as well, to work on it. As stated previously, I hope to make this 21 chapters (at least, that's what's planned), so maybe, if I'm lucky, I can finish it over fall break/October. **

**Hope you've enjoyed the story so far, and please review whenever you can! I'd love to know what you think so far-remember, questions, predictions, or anything else at all is welcome! :)**

**Until sometime later, when I upload the next chapter,**

**~WhitePhantom88**


	14. Consumed

_WhitePhatnom88: Hey, so I know I sais I probably wouldn't update til fall break at the very earliest, but...well, despite the fact that it's hard as hell to get internet access here at my school, and the fact that I'm swamped with school work that I should be devoting my precious time to, I couldn't help but write a bit more of the story...this chapter isn't as long (or as complete) as I would have liked, but since I've no idea when I'll be able to get back onto the internet, I decided I may as well upload it while I've got the chance...Thanks so much for all the reviews you've sent; I reae them all avidly, and I hope this little tid-bit will help lessen the cliff-hangerish ending of the last chapter, but...well, as I said, this chapter isn't as complete as I had originally planned...in other words, I hadn't planned this chapter to cilff-hang, but it kinda does. Here's hoping I can get back online soon--and enjoy the latest in the story!  
And as always, thanks so much for the reviews!_

_**~Hidden Addiction~**_

_**:Consumed:**_

As Kyo tried to piece together his scattered thoughts, he studied his roommate's face. The silver-haired teen sitting between his legs was glaring slightly at the other bed in their room, his cheeks flushed a dark shade of pink.

He was probably embarrassed….embarrassed as hell. Kyo fought a smirk.

After all the times the crimson-eyed young man had felt like an idiot for wanting his cousin so badly--after all the times Yuki had mercilessly incited his desires--Kyo didn't feel at all guilty for what he'd done in the past week and a half.

He'd made Yuki feel like an idiot--made him want what he thought he could never have--made him feel like he was going insane with desire--made him enraged when his desires went unfulfilled--driven him to the very edge.

He'd done to Yuki what Yuki had been doing to him his whole life.

_There wasn't ever really a time when my mind wasn't obsessed with the Rat._

_As a young kid, I'd wanted to kill him more than anything in the world. He was the reason people hated me when they saw me--he'd made me into the wretched being I was. He was the reason I was cooped up, the reason my own mother feared me, the reason my father hated me, the reason the world and everything in it was forever beyond my reach. I was ostracized by the people within my world, and forbidden from entering the world outside. So basically, I lived in a void. There was nothing but me. _

_And somewhere along the line, I grew accustomed to that…I grew comfortable with it….it became my protection from myself. Nothing was my fault--it was all the Rat's fault. And as long as I stayed within my own void of an existence, people as a general rule didn't look at me. And I didn't have to die inside over and over again. _

_I really hated him…hated the world. _

_Hated the fact that I was more than happy to live my life unseen. _

_I may as well not exist at all._

_That's what I thought._

_And then my mother killed herself…over me, they said. I was only ever looked at when there was some sort of blame to be assigned. I lost it--letting loose on my dad and searching for the Rat…the reason for why my life was hell._

_I soon found that life as I had known it was nothing, compared to hell. _

_Hell isn't being hated, kicked around, and unjustly treated by a world you don't give a shit about anyway…hell is wanting something so badly that you feel as though you'd rather drown a thousand times over than live in a world without that one thing…that one thing you desire over all else. _

_He looked like a freakin' angel, walking so silently and gracefully in the softly falling snow. His violet eyes were shining and gentle…so haunting…and his silver hair just…it just glowed, like--aah, dammit! I hate myself every time I think these things--I mean, what the hell?! I get so paranoid--like someone somewhere is reading my mind and laughing at the ridiculous things I think whenever he's around. But I can't help it. He's so damned…he's got such a…he's consumed my whole being. I don't know what I'd be without him. _

_It's been the fatal habit of my life to react badly whenever I don't understand something. Especially when it has to do with my own personal feelings. I guess it comes from never having to deal with feelings all that much to begin with…the smallest unforeseen emotional dilemma can send me into a world of confusion. _

_I hated the fact that I couldn't hate him. The second I saw him, I wanted to touch him, explore him, know everything about him--I was obsessed from the first second. It made me absolutely livid. I spat out insults, cutting off his sweet voice mid-sentence and just trying with all my might to hate him like I should. _

_I might have fooled him. I might have even fooled myself for a few seconds. _

_But that night, I lay awake thinking unhealthy, obsessive thoughts about my silver-haired cousin._

_Every time Kagura said his name at the dojo, every time Haru spoke about all the things he wanted to do with Yuki, every time Momiji giggled and gushed over the Rat, his idol, I wanted to utterly destroy something. What did the rest of the Zodiac want with the Rat?! He was MINE! My arch-enemy! Everyone knows that Cats and Rats are interlocked in an eternal battle--Rats don't have anything to do with Oxen, or Boars, or Rabbits! _

_I hated the way I was obsessing over that, too. I felt like a control-freak stalker, or something... _

_Shishou eventually became more and more like a father-figure to me, and I adored him…I wanted to be like him--he was so at peace, so happy…I wanted that. _

_But I also didn't want Shishou to see me…to know everything about me. It would be way to embarrassing for one…but also, I couldn't help thinking that he'd be disgusted by something…he'd hate something so much that he'd leave me. I didn't want to die again. _

_Then the Rat started coming to the dojo…stealing away the one person who ever really remotely looked at me, smiling coldly the whole time. Like a Rat who steals everything a Cat has and hides it in that rat-hole of his…a place a Cat could never enter. I was 'outside' again…on my own, by myself, in a place void of people and things. Everything I knew was attracted to my arch-enemy. _

_Including myself. Every time I was near him, I felt an overpowering desire to take him completely. To consume him, like he'd consumed me and my whole existence. But he was stronger; loved by everyone; had everything--he was the one person in the world most likely to hate everything about me. More than my father, more than my mother, more than Akito himself--Yuki would be the one who wanted to torture me more than anyone else._

_And he knew exactly how to torture me._

_He was made to be my arch-enemy…he knew exactly when a cold hearted stare would completely freeze me. He knew exactly what icy comment would cut the deepest. He knew when I was closest to going over the edge with desire…and what borderline taunt would incite my desires even more. _

_Every time he allowed me the slightest access to his body, I fought to take it all…I didn't think about it, I just pressed forward, wanting him…so badly…and then he'd pull back and I'd feel the edges of my sanity start to unravel even more. _

_I hated the way I wanted him…I wanted so badly to hate him…I wanted him to accept me…I wanted him to want me to want him…and these thoughts only confused me more…_

_But he could be so damn cold and aloof--every time I began to think he might actually want me back, he hid away from me, and I remembered exactly who he was…a Rat who wanted nothing but to make my life hell. _

_I swear, I always thought there was no possible way for me to get even more obsessed, but every time I got a taste of him, I was left wanting him even more than before. _

_Things eventually got more and more out of control. Or, I guess it'd be more accurate to say that I got out of control. Our clandestine meetings became the focus of my life. I wanted to mark him somehow…to leave a sign so that others would know that he didn't belong to them. I didn't want them to know that he belonged to me, because then I'd find myself in the center of attention--a place I hated with a passion. But I also didn't want what was mine to wander around for anyone to use while I wasn't there…_

_He always breathed my name perfectly--I didn't have enough mouths to kiss and tease all the things I wanted to…I'd be enjoying his toned abs, and he'd moan my name--and the next thing I knew, I'd be hungrily devouring his lips, trying to consume his hot tongue….and then he'd arch up against me--and before I could think, I'd be tenderly teasing his arousal…_

_I must have left something visible._

_The next thing I knew, Akito had called on me. Which, to put it mildly, is very rare._

_I slipped into my 'I-really-hate-the-Rat' charade instinctually. But something about Akito was different…he looked like he wasn't quite sure he believed me. I took it up a notch, and probably ended up looking like a complete and total idiot…but I knew what Akito did to 'lovers' in the family. He couldn't take away what I had--I still can't express in words how sick with anxiety the thought made me…I just knew I had to convince Akito that there was nothing going on between Yuki and me…nothing romantic, anyway. I must have been very stubborn…wild…probably almost insane. That's how I felt, anyway. I can't remember exactly how our conversation went, but I know somehow I ended up agreeing to a deal. Beat Yuki, and I'd win my freedom._

_But then things went wrong. Before long, he hid away from me completely. He wouldn't speak to me, he wouldn't come near me, he stopped going to the dojo…I nearly went mad._

_He'd left me sitting there, wondering what the hell went wrong._

_We'd been kissing…I was on top, straddling him, as usual…but something was wrong. He tasted…something in the way he moved…something was off…and then he bit my neck, a sound I'd never heard before vibrating in the depths of his throat. I paused, unsure of what it all meant…and then he began to fight for dominance. I engaged him, but he was far more insistent than usual, and eventually he had me pinned against the wall. It was a change, that was certain…I didn't know what was going on. I smirked and silently acknowledged defeat. _

_But something in his eyes scared the shit out of me._

_I asked him if something was wrong, smirking so that it wouldn't sound…I dunno, sappy or something. I was way too embarrassed to ask about his personal life with a straight face. I mean, I cared about the damn Rat…cared far more than I wanted to admit. But there was no way in hell I wanted him to know how much he dominated my thoughts…my life…because I always had this gnawing fear of finding out that this really was just a game for him…a game of pleasure; something to pass the time for the pretty pampered prince of the Rats--like a rat teasing the house cat during long, boring winter days. _

_He didn't answer me. He just kept staring at me with those intense eyes. Something was bothering him. I wanted him to stop worrying about it…I wanted to distract him, so that he wouldn't have such a damned pitiful look on his angel's face. I began exploring him in earnest, touching and nipping all the places I'd memorized--the places he was most sensitive--the places he got the most pleasure from…I hoped that it would consume his thoughts…that he'd be happy again for at least a little while…that things could go back to being what they had been._

_There was no way in hell I wanted to lose him. _

_But he pulled back abruptly, insistent, cold…I snapped at him, demanding an answer of some sort, but he just looked at me…with eyes that I'd never thought I'd see in our private meetings. I'd gotten used to that stare when we were in the 'real world'…when we acted like arch-rivals…enemies…but when he looked at me that way this time…it felt like he'd slapped me and then ripped my heart out._

_I hated him for it._

_I hated even more the fact that he still consumed my mind. _

_I started listening to what Kagura, Momiji, and Haru would say about him again, just to get some sort of fix…this addiction had consumed me completely…_

_I learned what was going on…I hated the fact that he didn't confide in me…_

_For the first time, I realized just how much the Rat knew about me…how much he'd always known. He'd heard all the gossip at the Main House, I was certain...and he knew what was true…he knew my darkest side…he knew my weaknesses…he knew my darkest secrets. He knew all about my…other…form. It wasn't like I wanted to tell him everything about me--our lives were just so intertwined that it was almost inevitable…the Cat and the Rat. Our whole existence was built around that...our relationship…the reason we even knew the other existed…it was all due to that stupid Zodiac…because from the day we were born, our lives were bound together._

_He was supposed to be this brilliant prodigy, who couldn't stand the disgusting, detestable idiotic Cat._

_I was supposed to be this twisted, dense creature who hated the one that had tricked me into exiling myself. _

_So it was only natural he hate me… _

_He hated me most of all, but he also knew me best of all._

_That thought destroyed any semblance of hope I had. If the person who knew me best hated me most…I may as well just go ahead and write my life off…_

_Shishou noticed something was wrong…he took me into the mountains, to help me in whatever way he could. I realized that there were other things bothering me besides Yuki…so I told him about those…most of them, anyway. But words about Yuki just wouldn't form. The more I thought about it in my head, the more I became angry at the way the Rat had been toying with me…and then stopping abruptly, without so much as an explanation. _

_He'd been growing slowly colder and more paranoid as the years passed, losing some of the sweet innocence he'd had as a child, but the better he got at teasing me, the more madly I wanted him. So even though he'd been getting colder, I hadn't really thought much of it; he was letting me do more and more with him…I had no idea what I was doing--I usually made things up, trying things out that I'd imagined before, seeing if they worked, if they felt right…but then all of the sudden…he just hid away._

_Anger grew into determination. I've always sucked at just sitting back and taking things. _

_I came back to find him…to catch him…_

_To completely consume him, like he'd consumed me._

Kyo wasn't certain how much he'd said out loud--as always, when he thought about Yuki, his focus was completely on his thoughts.

But judging by the violent blush on the silver-haired teen's face and the fact that he was shallowly breathing, eyes hidden behind silky bangs, he'd said quite a bit out loud.

"…So." Kyo breathed into his slender cousin's ear, delighted to feel the slim body between his legs shiver. "Can you guess what I want for my birthday?"

Yuki inhaled sharply.

"C'mon…you're smart. I know you can guess…it's easy…" Kyo continued, running a hand suggestively down the silver-haired teen's inner thigh.

Yuki squirmed, trying to get free from the restrictive arm around his waist.

"Yes…what I want _does_ squirm around…" Kyo laughed huskily. "It also usually has a silver element to it…" Nipping his cousin's neck and nuzzling his hair, Kyo smiled. "Have you guessed yet?"

Yuki jerked backward, managing to free himself from Kyo's grasp with the sudden movement. Sprawled backward on the bed, the crimson-eyed young man arched an eyebrow before slender hands grasped his face, sweet lips bit into his, and a slim body straddled him, arousing every ounce of his being.

They had explored each other many times before…but Kyo noted satisfactorily that this time was different.

**Okay, okay I know that's pretty much just as bad a place to leave off as last time, but--I swear, I'll try and get some more up asap! Hopefully sometime I can write something that doesn't cilff-hanger....but when I write, sometimes the story just takes over and I can't really alter it to fit what I'd originally planned...so...haha, hope you enjoyed it anyway!**


	15. Consumed Pt II

_WhitePhantom88: Hey, so I now that I have sporadic access to the internet, I will be trying to update whenever I can...but it more than likely won't be all that frequently. This chapter is the continuation of last chapter (wow, that was a rather obvious statement...), and it ends where I had originally planned for the previous chapter to end. So basically this chapter and the previous one should be counted as one chapter, but I didn't post it as one. :P So things are starting to get a bit more clear for our two heroes, but that doesn't mean the story's over! :) Nope; these two still have a bit more to go..._

_Enjoy and review!_

_**~Hidden Addiction~**_

_**:Consumed:**_

The crimson-eyed young man allowed his silver-haired roommate to stay on top of him for a bit, marveling at how different the experience was.

Sweet, supple lips kept assaulting his own, a teasing tongue exploring his mouth expertly…Kyo felt as though he'd never taste anything but this perfect blend of mint-and-ginger for the rest of his life…it was so addicting…

He almost growled when Yuki finally pulled away, but found he had no breath to do so. His attempt to fill his lungs failed abysmally as long, slender fingers slid under his waistband and trailed along his inner thigh.

"_Nnnn--!_" Kyo heard himself moan hungrily, his lungs burning for lack of air. But the slender fingers didn't appease his desires; instead, they trailed upward, pausing momentarily at his groin before continuing upward and slowly unfastening the crimson-eyed young man's shirt.

"Yu--" Kyo began, before supple lips cut off his demanding inquiry. Unable to do anything else, Kyo lunged violently into the kiss, devouring the soft mouth above him. He bit down on a mint-flavored lip, his legs possessively wrapping around the slender waist hovering over his supine body, dragging the slim teen down and arching up against him.

It wasn't long before Kyo flipped their position. Yuki found himself once more sprawled between his cousin's legs, his slender wrists trapped under the tight grip of his lanky roommate's hands. Kyo hungrily nipped and bit the tender, swollen lips before him, most of his attention focused on the tantalizing way their hips were moving…his cousin's slight waist was pressed firmly against his own lean one…his distracted mind desperately tried to figure out how to remove the hindering clothes between them without having to let go of his catch.

Cursing, Kyo realized there wasn't a way.

Yuki whimpered as the crimson-eyed young man pulled back. Kyo willed himself not to look into the intense violet gaze that followed his every move as he stripped down to nothing. Still avoiding the silver-haired teen's eyes, Kyo stripped his cousin in seconds. He was about to resume where he'd left off when slender hands gripping his jaw made him pause.

He felt his face being yanked upward, his breath catching as he locked gazes with deep vibrant pools of dark indigo. Kyo suddenly found himself thinking of the night sky he so often watched from the rooftops…the fathomless depth, the soft glow, the mystery and intrigue…the inexplicable feeling that it was _his_ to have…that he somehow understood it, even though it seemed so far beyond his reach…but it was _here _now…and it _was _his to have…

The crimson gaze burning before him caused Yuki to shiver in spite of himself. The crimson orbs that glowed vibrant, deep, hot and irresistible reminded the silver-haired teen of the sunrise he'd watched what seemed like ages ago…the vivid colors, so alive, so warm, so near and yet so far…just beyond his reach, looming on the horizon and impossible to ignore…the sun was never so near, so irresistible as when it was rising…Yuki wondered how many mornings he'd intentionally stayed indoors, waiting until the sun had risen fully, reaching a place far from his reach…running away. It was too irresistible, too consuming, too…he would be smart to keep running far away from such temptations.

Leaning forward, Yuki hesitantly, gently, fondly, and finally possessively kissed the young man before him. He couldn't sleep, couldn't walk around in a daze forever…this addiction had consumed him, and running was no longer an option.

Kyo felt his heart racing as his silver-haired cousin slowly became increasingly aggressive and demanding…the kiss had started out gentle and hesitant, uncertain…but now the crimson-eyed young man could taste the determination and the terror that consumed his lover.

Yuki had given in completely.

Stroking the pale cheeks of his roommate, Kyo deepened the kiss, attempting to ease any and all of his lover's fears. He slowly pushed forward, until Yuki was once more beneath him. It wasn't long before Kyo had gone farther than he'd ever dared to with his silver-haired cousin, his movements spurred on by the violet-eyed teen's frequent, encouraging mewls and arousing touches…

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

"…I'm not denying that I thoroughly enjoyed that…" Kyo whispered breathlessly, wrapping his arms around Yuki's slender waist. "But actually, what I was hinting at over an hour ago was fish. I want fish for dinner, and we don't have any."

"Hn." Yuki sniffed, blushing as he tried to stand up.

Kyo pounced before he'd even gotten to his knees. Pinning the silver-haired teen beneath him, the crimson-eyed young man smirked before slowly, deeply kissing his cousin.

"…Dinner's still a long way off." Kyo murmured into his roommate's mouth. "And I still want to play…"

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Kyo woke up for the second time that day, arms wrapped loosely around his violet-eyed cousin. Yuki was still asleep, dark lashes pressed against flushed cheeks, lips parted, soft breath rushing against Kyo's bare chest, his forehead pressed against the orange-haired young man's collar bone, silver head cradled by a tanned shoulder.

"Yuki…" Kyo called softly. "I'm really hungry."

"Hn…" The silver-haired teen replied grumpily, shifting a bit but keeping his eyes closed.

Glancing at the clock on his dresser, Kyo noted it was four o'clock. Shoving his cousin playfully, he stood up and stretched before shuffling over to his bureau and pulling out clean clothes. After dressing, he returned to the side of his bed and yanked the sheets off, paying no attention to the _thud_ that echoed through the room as his cousin fell on the floor.

"What the hell?!" Yuki demanded rubbing the back of his head and wincing slightly.

"Need help getting dressed?" Kyo asked glibly, gathering the sheets and discarded, dirty clothing into a hamper.

"I--no." Yuki muttered, standing up and pulling out clean clothes.

"Hurry up…" Kyo called as he walked out of the room and loaded the washing machine.

"…Where are we going?" Yuki asked, hopping over to the bedroom door on one foot as he tried to shove his other leg into his pants.

"To get food. I'm starved." Kyo replied, coming back and smirking as Yuki stumbled, losing his balance and sprawling backward onto the floor.

"As much as I'd love to…" Kneeling between his cousin's legs and bending over to whisper in his ear, Kyo laughed quietly. "We're running out of clean clothes…" Fastening the silver-haired teen's pants, the crimson-eyed young man smiled before kissing his roommate quickly on the cheek and standing up. "Now hurry up before I change my mind."

"You're so demanding…" Yuki muttered, slipping into his shirt.

"And you're such a damn tease." Kyo replied easily, watching intensely as Yuki gracefully finished fastening his top.

Yuki raised an eyebrow at his cousin, glancing up at him through thick eyelashes and a fringe of silver hair, a small smile toying on his lips. Standing up and grabbing his wallet, the violet-eyed teen walked past Kyo and toward the front door.

"So…let's go."

Kyo grinned, heading out the door as well.

"Oi, mail's here." Yuki pointed out as he pulled the key to their apartment out of his pocket. "A package, too…"

"From Shishou, probably." Kyo remarked, surprised at how he'd forgotten anyone else would remember his birthday. Picking up the small box, Kyo checked the return address and smiled.

"Put it inside. We'll go get ingredients, and then you can open presents while I cook dinner." Yuki suggested, opening the door to their apartment again.

"You'll burn down the entire complex…and most of Los Angeles, too." Kyo commented, shoving the mail and his package inside the apartment before locking and shutting the door.

"Fine. We can go get pre-made and I'll just heat it--"

"There's no way I'm eating take-out on my birthday." Kyo cut Yuki off, grinning lopsidedly. "How old do you think I am, anyway? I can wait a bit longer to open my birthday presents."

"…Sometimes you seem awfully impatient to me." Yuki sniffed, turning to go.

"Only when things are too damnably irresistible." Kyo qualified, catching up with his cousin and nipping his earlobe before sticking his hands in his pockets and resuming the usual distance between them.

Yuki didn't answer; he was too preoccupied with fighting a blush.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

"I'm going to try something new." Kyo announced as he switched the rice-cooker on.

"Is that…safe?" Yuki inquired, raising an eyebrow. He was standing by the kitchen counter, knife and cutting board spread out before him. It was the only thing Kyo would trust him with.

"Of course it is; I'm not stupid or anything." Kyo retorted good-naturedly. "Besides, I'll like it. And since it's my birthday, that's all that matters."

"You're acting like a spoiled brat." Yuki commented.

"I've recently gotten used to having only the best." Kyo shrugged. "Can you blame me?"

"Yes." Yuki replied easily. "Now what do you want me to do, master chef?"

"Keep calling me master, for one." Kyo grinned. "You can also chop up these mint leaves and those ginger roots."

"…I think I might like this dish after all." Yuki admitted to himself, before picking up his knife.

"I thought you might." Kyo chuckled darkly in his ear. "And don't hold your knife like that, or I'll be sucking on a cut finger in a few minutes…"

"…Is that supposed to be a deterrent?" Yuki asked, arching an eyebrow, his grip on the knife not changing.

"_Please_ be good, Yuki…" Kyo half-laughed, half-demanded. "I'm really hungry…"

"I can try." Yuki quipped, altering his grip on the knife slightly and smiling innocently at his crimson-eyed roommate.

"That's not very reassuring." Kyo replied, shaking his head as he began cleaning the fish.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

"Here--taste this." Kyo held out a piece of the ginger-and-mint flavored fish. Yuki got up from the kitchen table and obligingly opened his mouth. Sucking on the fish and savoring the flavor, the silver-haired teen nodded.

"It's really good."

"I knew it would be." Kyo answered confidently, sliding the fish from the pan onto a plate. "Dinner's ready."

"I didn't get you anything." Yuki said suddenly. "I was thinking about it, but in the end I didn't…I didn't get you anything."

"Do I look like I'm used to getting birthday presents?" Kyo asked, arching an eyebrow and smirking.

"I just wanted to make that clear…that I hadn't forgotten…I just…I mean before today our…our situation was still so unclear, so I just--"

"Stop stammering. I know already--things have always been predictably unpredictable where we're concerned, remember?" Kyo put the food on the table before turning to smirk at his cousin. "I appreciate the attempt at making sure I didn't misunderstand anything, but I'm not exactly the sentimental type--not getting a birthday present isn't gonna kill me. Besides…in case you forgot, I _did_ get a rather pleasing gift. Two or three times today."

"The food is going to get cold." Yuki pointed out, sitting down at the table.

Kyo smirked, shaking his head. Perching on the edge of the table, next to where his cousin was seated, the crimson-eyed young man leaned on his right arm, bringing his face down to Yuki's eyelevel and gripping the teen's jaw with his left hand.

"Running away only makes me want to chase you more." Kyo murmured, tracing the silver-haired teen's lips with his thumb.

"I'm not running away…" Yuki replied, turning away. "I just thought you were hungry."

"I am." Kyo agreed, hopping off of the table. "And I'm demanding. So I want to eat dinner on the couch in the living room, watching a movie, with you in my lap."

"Do you honestly think you're going to get whatever you want, just because it's your birthday?" Yuki demanded, crossing his arms.

"Yes." Kyo answered, slightly terse. "Why are you being so sulky, anyway?"

"I'm not sulking, stupid Cat." Yuki retorted smoothly, filling a plate with rice and fish and heading toward the living room. "Well?" He paused in the doorway, looking expectantly at the crimson-eyed young man still standing in the kitchen.

"What do you want to watch?" Kyo asked, slipping past his cousin and turning on the television.

"It's your birthday." Yuki shrugged. "You choose."

"…And you said you weren't sulking." Kyo muttered, glancing at the silver-haired teen with a knowing look.

"Shut up and pick a show." Yuki scowled, curling up on the edge of the couch and balancing the plate of food on his knees.

"…300?" Kyo read the label of the first movie he pulled out. When Akito had provided furnishings for their apartment, she hadn't neglected to get several movies. Shrugging, Kyo shoved the disc into the player and pressed play.

"Do you even know what it's about?" Yuki asked dryly.

"Does it really matter? It has fighting in it. How can it be bad?" Kyo countered. He lightly stepped up onto the couch, swinging one leg behind the silver-haired teen already seated, and slid down, squirming in an attempt to make room for himself. Yuki subconsciously melted against the toned body behind him, nestling between the familiarly lean legs. Lanky, muscular arms wrapped around his waist.

"We don't have any utensils." Yuki suddenly noted, moving to get up. Kyo tightened his grip, preventing the silver-haired teen from moving.

"We can use our hands." Kyo murmured, already digging into the food. The previews ran on the television screen, completely absorbing the crimson-eyed young man's attention.

"…I thought you didn't really like television." Yuki commented, picking up a piece of fish gingerly with his hands and popping it into his mouth.

"Sh." Kyo hushed him, before answering in a whisper. "I do and I don't…it's intriguing, but it's also a bit of a sore spot."

Yuki didn't try to continue the conversation. Kyo wouldn't have responded, anyway.

In the middle of a particularly gruesome battle-scene, Yuki felt the warm rush of his cousin's breath in his ear.

"…I want milk."

Forcing himself not to jump from shock, Yuki rolled his eyes. He'd gotten into the movie without meaning to, and he really didn't want to leave right that moment. But he moved the plate from his lap to the cushion beside him and walked to the kitchen, poured out a glass of milk, and came back, settling once more between his cousin's legs and taking a sip of the beverage himself before passing it to the crimson-eyed young man behind him, whose eyes were still glued to the television screen.

There was only a small piece of fish left on the plate. Picking it up, Yuki popped it into his mouth, almost yelping when tanned fingers enclosed around his wrist. Kyo laughed softly, nuzzling the paler teen's neck, before licking his slender fingers.

"Usually the birthday boy gets the last piece of the birthday dinner…" Kyo chided mockingly, catching a hold of Yuki's jaw and capturing his lips in a heated kiss.

The sound of the doorbell caused Yuki to jerk back wildly. Kyo had also sprung backward, eyes wide. Both young men turned to the door. Scrambling to his feet and running a quick hand through his tousled hair, Yuki grabbed his wallet and opened the door.

"Here you go." A delivery boy said dully, opening up a small portable cooler and pulling out a pastel-orange colored glass container.

"Thank you." Yuki smiled, and Kyo felt a twinge of irritation as he noted the instant blush on the boy's cheeks.

"Not a problem, dude…" The teenager managed to reply, taking the money Yuki offered and letting his hand linger, Kyo thought, a couple of moments too long.

"…Good night, then." Yuki said, still smiling, as he took the container and closed the door.

"Nice to see you have the same affect on people world-wide." Kyo noted sourly, pausing the movie that had been playing unnoticed for the past several minutes.

"…Meaning…?" Yuki asked, a slightly confused look crossing his features. He placed the container on the living room coffee table.

"Nothing, except that the delivery kid is probably having a lot of fun by himself in his car right now." Kyo expounded in an exasperated manner.

"…You mean I made him lonely?" Yuki asked slowly.

"Yeah, I'm sure he's dying for company right now." Kyo muttered, passing a hand over his eyes.

"Should we invite him back in…?" Yuki asked, turning to look at the door with an even more confused look on his features.

"Wha--?! No! _Hell _no!" Kyo dropped the hand from his eyes, shock evident on his face. "Where do you--?! Aaugh, Yuki! You really baffle me, you know that?"

"What did I do now?" Yuki demanded crossly, folding his arms. "I simply answered the door, paid a delivery boy, closed the door, and then all of the sudden you're making snide remarks!"

"How can you be so brilliant and so dense at the same time?" Kyo asked, shaking his head.

"It's a special talent of mine." Yuki replied coldly, pulling the lid off of the newly-delivered container. "And now, if you don't mind, I'd like to enjoy dessert."

"…Dessert?" Kyo asked, arching an eyebrow.

"Blueberries and strawberries in cream…whipped cream." Yuki corrected himself. "From that café…where you first started learning English."

"…I thought you said you hadn't gotten me anything."

"I don't really consider food a birthday present." Yuki clarified, dipping a finger into the cream, a blueberry sticking to the glob of white sweetness. Kyo grabbed his wrist, grinning.

"You don't know a damn thing about how things are supposed to go…Haven't you ever been to a birthday party before? " Locking gazes with the startled silver-haired teen, Kyo licked the blueberry and cream from Yuki's finger. "I'll go and get the dishes."

They managed to finish the movie in relative peace.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

"I'm sleeping with you tonight." Kyo announced, standing up and stretching.

"Wha--? Says who?" Yuki demanded, gathering the dishes and putting them in the sink to wash later.

"Well, you're half responsible for why my bed is currently sheet-less." Kyo grinned, jerking a thumb at the drying machine, which was still attempting to dry Kyo's bedclothes.

"…Fine. But don't keep me up all night."

"You don't have school tomorrow." Kyo pointed out, grinning. Yuki threw him a warning glance.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Yuki tried not to make it obvious that his gaze was lingering on the tanned hipbones that peeped out from the waistline of Kyo's pajamas. The Cat _would _sleep shirtless...

"…What are you thinking?" Kyo asked, stretching comfortably on Yuki's bed and watching the silver-haired teen expectantly.

"Nothing whatsoever having to do with your hips…" Yuki replied hastily, suddenly realizing what he'd said and blushing madly.

"Really." Kyo said conversationally. "Are you coming to bed, or what?"

"…Mm." Yuki slid into the other side of the bed.

"You know, if you had really been against sleeping with me, you could have slept on the couch." Kyo murmured, slipping an arm around the silver-haired teen's waist.

"I know." Yuki whispered, turning to catch Kyo's gaze. He hesitated before speaking again. "What are you thinking?"

"…I'm thinking…" Kyo paused, staring into the violet eyes of his cousin, a small glimmer of fear in his crimson gaze. Yuki wondered what had put it there. "I'm thinking I should make the most of tonight, in case…" The crimson-eyed young man's husky voice trailed off, and Yuki felt his breath catch as Kyo tightened his grasp, clutching his silver-haired cousin to him. Eyes shut tight, Kyo lay still and silent next to Yuki, relishing the way their breath mingled.

Somehow Yuki knew his roommate wouldn't respond, but he whispered into the dark anyway.

"…Goodnight, Kyo…"

'Is he…' Yuki thought to himself as he slowly relaxed into his cousin's hold. 'Is he scared…? That I won't be here in the morning--that I'll hate him? But I already _told_ him that--' Yuki paused, feeling sleep tug at his weary mind, but experiencing a revelation nonetheless. 'But he told me as well…and I'm still…we're _both_ still…he's just as uncertain as I am.' Brushing his lips gently against his sleeping cousin's cheek, Yuki smiled slowly as Kyo unconsciously leaned into the tender touch. '…and he's just as addicted, too.'

This last thought lulled the exhausted silver-haired teen into a state of almost complete relaxation, and resigned for the night, the violet-eyed teen fell asleep.

**So...review, tell me what you think, and hopefully I'll be able to update soon! ...ands do my schoolwork as well, of course. -_-**


	16. Aftermath

_WhitePhantom88: Hey, so this is a pretty long chapter--hope you enjoy it! Things are still a bit bumpy for these two, but they are also starting to figure things out. This chapter actually sort of ran away with me--a few unexpected things happened that just sorta...well, happened while I was writing. It was, for me at least, a pleasant surprise, and I hope you all enjoy it! I kinda like it when stories get a life of their own and all of the sudden don't go exactly the way you might have planned, but turn out anyway. Haha, well, I also really want to thank all of the reviewers--your reviews are always great to read and really encouraging, so please keem them coming! :) Thanks also for all the well-wishes for school--I'm actually keeping up with all my work, which is surprising since I was a born procrastinator...and on top of that, I'm writing chapters for this story! I really think it's due to the reviews...they just really make my day, and I'm always looking for more. So, if ya have a second, review after you read--_

_aaaaand, as always, enjoy!_

_NB: There is a section in this chapter (and there was one in a previous chapter) where there are italics with dashes (--) before and after them. This is to indicate a flashback inside of a flashback. I hope that was clear before--I didn't think to let you all know! But anyway, now that I've made it clear, on with the story!_

_**~Hidden Addiction~**_

_**:Aftermath:**_

Yuki woke to the tantalizing smell of a real, home-cooked breakfast.

He also woke up cold.

Wriggling forward in a quest for warmth, the silver-haired teen fell off the side of his bed, tangled in sheets and blinking into the hard wood floor of his bedroom. Swiveling around and sitting up, his slow mind began to laboriously analyze his situation. The bed was cold…plus the smell of food…equals Kyo in kitchen and not in bedroom. It made sense now.

Shoving at the constricting sheets entwined with his legs in a disgruntled manner, the violet-eyed teen stood up and headed toward the door, only to trip on a length of material still curled around his ankle.

"I thought I heard the distinct sounds of a certain Rat waking up…" Kyo commented, leaning on the doorframe of the bedroom's entranceway.

Yuki glanced up at his crimson-eyed cousin, managing a small smile.

"C'mon; breakfast's waiting." Turning back toward the kitchen, Kyo left his silver-haired roommate to follow. Shoving angrily at the bedclothes still swamped around his feet, Yuki hurried out of the bedroom, inexplicable fear tugging at his chest.

The kitchen table was completely covered with food, the floor littered with discarded wrapping paper and envelopes. Glancing a the floor inquisitively, Yuki caught a glimpse of the various signatures of his extended family. So they'd all sent cards. How thoughtful…

"What did Shihan send you?" Yuki broke the silence, sitting down at the table and glancing up at his orange-haired roommate as the other placed a dish full of food before him.

"Just some stuff for the dojo…" Kyo answered, lifting a shoulder in a careless shrug. "The others just sent cards and money…"

"That's nice." Yuki replied, his smile feeling forced…why were things so stilted this morning? Glancing down at his breakfast, Yuki found he'd lost his appetite.

"Aren't you starved?" Kyo managed to ask through an over-stuffed mouth. He quirked an eyebrow at his cousin. "We barely ate anything yesterday."

"Yeah…" Yuki agreed, feeling another false smile automatically spread across his features. Something was wrong.

"I don't think I've ever eaten so little in twenty-four hours before." Kyo continued, shoveling another load of food onto his plate. His chopsticks clanked almost angrily against the dishes. "I could barely sleep last--"

"Shut up." Yuki interrupted harshly through clenched teeth. Kyo glanced up, an incredulous look gracing his features. His silver-haired cousin ducked his head, hiding his own shocked expression. "Just…shut up." Continuing in a hoarse whisper, the violet-eyed teen clamped his jaw shut, willing himself to say no more.

The sound of wood breaking caused Yuki to glance up, startled. Kyo stood, head bowed, over what had previously been a kitchen chair. His hands were clenched into fists, and Yuki could see the veins throbbing in his cousin's lean, muscular arms.

"…I'm going out." Kyo finally muttered, turning toward the door.

"Kyo, no!" Yuki found himself scrambling after his cousin, reaching out a hand to catch Kyo's arm. The crimson-eyed young man turned and paused, the heat of his gaze scorching. Yuki jerked his hand back, suddenly terrified…

_I hated asking for help--it mortified me. It was like admitting just how damn weak I was out loud._

_But there was something even worse than admitting to my weakness._

_It was having that plea heartlessly rejected._

_I'd sworn never to ask for help…never to need someone again…_

"What do you want, Yuki?" Kyo demanded, eyes ablaze. "Do you want to see just how many times you can get me to chase you? How many times you can run away after having your fun? Do you want to find out how many levels of 'completely obsessed' I have?Do you want to drive me absolutely insane?" The crimson-eyed young man took a step forward, his voice low and full of emotion. "What the hell do you want, Yuki? Do you want me to openly succumb to that damnable charm of yours, like the rest of the world--to simply lay down at your feet and tell you how wonderful you are--to stumble and stutter and become just another adoring face? Do you want me to follow you while you wander around the face of the earth, so damn oblivious to the fact that anyone on the street would be willing to do just about anything to make you happy--dammit, Yuki--WHAT THE HELL DO YOU WANT?!"

"I want…" Yuki whispered, voice hoarse. "Didn't I say before? Haven't I made it clear--damn, Kyo! I told you the whole freaking story--why are you doing this? Why, after everything yesterday--why were you so distant this morning--why are you screwing with me?!"

"Why was _I_ so distant--what the _hell_ are you talking about?! Who was sulking all yester--DAMMIT!" Kyo rammed a fist into the wall. "…I've spent most of my life telling myself that everything coming out of your mouth was a lie. Can you expect me to just suddenly--aaugh, just--damn. Never mind. You know what, I just really…" Turning abruptly, Kyo sprinted out the front door. It shut tightly behind him, echoing through the empty apartment.

Yuki sank slowly to the floor.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

He'd wound up in a more familiar part of Los Angeles, at least.

He knew the general direction he should go.

Turning his feet toward home, Kyo slowly began trudging back.

It wasn't all that late--only a little past midday. Still, he felt horrible leaving Yuki alone in the apartment. Especially since, he admitted bitterly to himself, he'd been the one running away this time. He hadn't been able to help it…

_My life wasn't supposed to be like this. I was supposed to struggle and fight, and never really get what I want. _

_Any time something seemed to go right for me, I knew it was only a matter of days before things would be hell again._

_It scared me shitless, how open and willing Yuki had been…there was no way something like this could happen to me._

_No way in hell I'd get what I'd wanted for so long…_

_There had to be some sort of catch…something had to go wrong. _

_That's what I'd thought. That's what I'd told myself. I was used to being the one who lost everything--used to having nothing permanently. Used to being the one left out, the one who looked longingly at what I could never have. All the times I'd had him before, I'd never __really__ had him…there'd always been this small, reserved part that we kept from each other...things we both knew, but never brought up…never wanted to look at or deal with. _

_But we couldn't keep going on like that. _

_Yeah…this fight wasn't over yet…_

_We were at that point…the point where everything would either come together or fall apart. _

Glancing up, he found he was on familiar streets again.

He knew his way back.

His brisk walk turned into a sprint.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

"Oi, Yuki!" Kyo called as he entered the apartment. He paused, halfway out of his shoes, as he took in the scene before him.

"Welcome back, Kyo." Yuki turned from the living room coffee table to greet his cousin. Violet eyes were highly guarded. Kyo knew the look only too well. He had no idea, however, who the two strange teenage boys sitting on his couch were.

"…I'm back." Kyo responded to his silver-haired cousin belatedly, gaze never wandering from the unfamiliar faces.

"Keith, Matt…this is my cousin, Kyo." Yuki began introductions. "Kyo, some of my university friends."

"Hey." Keith nodded, smiling. Matt nodded in a wordless greeting.

"Hey." Kyo answered, finally slipping the rest of the way out of his shoes. "I'm gonna get something to eat…anyone else hungry?"

"We're actually going out to eat." Yuki replied for the trio. "Thanks for the offer, though."

"No problem." Kyo shrugged, heading casually toward the kitchen. "Have a good time."

"We will." Yuki smiled sweetly, his eyes ice. Kyo knew it, without even having to look at his cousin.

"…Your cousin is abnormally good-looking as well." Matt commented, before blowing his dark blue bangs out of his eyes.

"I hadn't noticed." Yuki replied, gathering up the cards they'd been playing with. "I'm starved--let's head out."

"You're sure we shouldn't invite Kyo along?" Keith asked, glancing toward the kitchen. "He hasn't actually started cooking yet--he's just looking at what you guys have in the cabinets."

"Kyo doesn't really like eating out. He's picky." Yuki shook his head, already opening the apartment door.

"So he cooks for real then? Dude, I haven't had a home-cooked meal in forever…" Matt glanced toward the kitchen, hand on his growling stomach.

"You can have some of whatever I end up making…" Kyo called out without turning to look at his cousin's guests. Yuki could hear the smirk in his voice, and felt his own jaw clenching.

"Seriously? Sweet!" Making his way into the kitchen, Matt sat down at the table. Keith glanced at Yuki, smiling and shrugging before following his blue-haired friend to the kitchen table.

"Need any help?" Keith asked.

"One of you could set the table…the other could start the rice-cooker."

"On it." Keith started opening cabinets, looking for dishes, while Matt began filling the rice-cooker.

"Come on, Yuki; help us out." Matt called, pulling out some silverware.

"Yuki's no good in the kitchen." Kyo commented casually. "But if you could cut up the vegetables over there, I'll start browning the beef. Keith, you peel the fruit over here and dice it up."

Yuki leaned against the doorframe of the kitchen, arms folded, watching his friends and his cousin prepare the midday meal. He could feel his insides freezing over with indignation and rage. The Cat was being one hell of a bastard.

"Kyo…" Yuki's voice was honey. "Come here a second? I forgot; I need to show you something."

"I'm kinda busy right now."

"We can take over. This is kinda fun, actually…" Keith offered good-naturedly, oblivious to the tension between his two hosts.

"…Fine. But don't burn anything." Kyo acquiesced.

Following his slight cousin out of the kitchen and into the bedroom, Kyo kept his expression passive as Yuki closed the door behind them.

"What the hell are you doing?" The silver-haired teen demanded.

"Being hospitable." Kyo answered, smirking cockily. "Why so bothered by it?"

"Because quite frankly I hate seeing those two having such a good time with you." Yuki snapped, well aware that a blush had overtaken his cheekbones. "You're not usually sociable, but you seem to be having quite an easy time of chumming it up with those ingrates!"

"What are you--"

"Just shut up." Yuki interrupted savagely. "Every time you open your mouth, I start second-guessing myself and feeling like an idiot. Well, I'm sick of it. So you're going to shut the fuck up for once and let me say whatever I damn well please. And when I'm done you can do whatever the hell you want, but until then--!" The silver-haired teen bit his lip, suddenly looking a bit unsure. "But then words don't mean shit to you, do they?"

"Since when did you start cursing so much?"

"Since I had about three or four…maybe it was six shots of vodka." Yuki snapped, raking his fingers through his hair in an agitated manner.

"Where did you get vodka?" Kyo furrowed his eyebrows, almost glaring at his cousin.

"From your little dojo buddies…" Yuki's eyes narrowed. "I called them up, to see if you…if you had gone over to hang out with them. They said you weren't there, but that they were bored…we hung out for about fifteen minutes at their favorite bar, but then I saw Keith and Matt walking by outside the bar window, and I ditched them--they were trashed, anyway, so they won't be offended, I'm sure…if they are, I'll just apologize later…but so anyway I caught up with Matt and Keith and invited them over because there was no way in hell I was going to sit around and go insane over this whole damn--!!" Yuki stopped abruptly, biting his lip and clenching his hands.

"Don't ever call Mike and Chris again." Kyo commanded curtly, before turning back to the bedroom door and grasping the handle.

Slender arms slipping around his waist made him pause.

"…What happens if I do?" A haughty voice asked.

"I kill them." Kyo answered, turning to face the silver-haired teen's dilated gaze.

Yuki scrutinized the other's face, before softly nipping at his crimson-eyed cousin's lower lip. Sliding his own hands down the slender teen's sides without thinking, Kyo captured Yuki's mouth and thrust forward against the paler teen.

Moaning into Kyo's mouth, Yuki slumped forward against his lanky cousin, eager for more. Both boys slid to the floor, breath ragged.

"Yuki! Kyo!"

Springing apart in less than a second, the two cousins quickly began altering their appearances--fixing their tousled hair and splashing cold water on their faces, patting them dry.

"Get some looser pants on." Kyo hissed before going to open the bedroom door and smile at Keith. Yuki was still in the restroom, scrambling into a spare pair of Kyo's slacks.

"Did you finish with the fruits?" Kyo asked, walking casually toward the kitchen, Keith following.

"Yep. What do want me to do now? Matt's taken care of the meat, too…"

Letting out a sigh of relief, Yuki thanked his lucky stars that it was Keith who'd gone to find them. By far the more naïve of his friends, Keith was oblivious to what Matt would have suspected almost instantaneously.

Wandering back into the kitchen, Yuki sat down at the table.

"Just in time." Keith smiled, sitting down next to the silver-haired teen, a plate full of food in one hand and a fruit-smoothie in the other. Matt slid wordlessly into the other chair beside Yuki, carrying his own food.

An awkward silence ensued as the two guests realized that there wasn't a fourth chair.

"Uh--" Keith began, but Kyo grinned lopsidedly.

"Don't sweat it. I can share with Yuki." Picking up the last two plates and carrying them over to his silver-haired roommate, Kyo waited a moment while Yuki belatedly made room for his lanky cousin on the chair. They settled down without having to negotiate much, as though they were quite used to sharing such close quarters.

"…Are you two an item?" Matt suddenly inquired, eyebrow quirked but the remainder of his face remaining impassive. Yuki felt himself tense slightly, suddenly very aware of how close he was to Kyo, and how relaxed his stature had been up till then.

"Dude, we're cousins." Kyo spoke, breaking the momentary silence and continuing to eat in an undisturbed manner.

"Right. Sorry…" Matt waved his fork in a dismissive gesture, but his eyes belied his curiosity.

"I've heard that in Japan, they have less of a concept of personal space." Keith put in, not entirely sure what had just transpired between his three dining companions, but eager to join the conversation nonetheless.

"It's true." Yuki smiled warmly at his sandy-haired friend, but Kyo detected a frosty undertone in his cousin's features. Yuki was still feeling a bit antagonistic toward his university friends, then…Kyo could live with that.

"A lot of other countries are less concerned with personal space, actually…" Matt pointed out monotonously. "I just keep forgetting that you two are foreigners…especially you, Yuki. Your accent and vocab are practically flawless."

"Thank you." Yuki smiled at his dark-blue haired friend. Kyo swore he saw a faint blush color the dark-featured young man's pale face.

"Yeah, but your slang kinda sucks." Keith laughed. "That's why people at school are always comparing you to some sort of royalty--what is it they call him? The prince, or something? It doesn't help that you're always wearing those preppy clothes…although, now that I think about it, it'd be weird if you showed up at school in jeans and a t-shirt!"

"You really have no filter between your brain and your mouth, do you?" Matt muttered, arching an eyebrow at his friend.

"Did I say something rude?" Keith asked, tilting his head and looking at Yuki with an apologetic grin. "Sorry, man!"

"…Don't worry about it." Yuki waved a hand, dismissing the apology.

"Look at that…" Matt shook his head. "Waving away an apology--seriously? You act like a freakin' aristocrat all the time. That's why those girls…and those guys, for that matter…won't leave you alone. They're all convinced that you're some renegade prince or movie-star."

"Oh?" Kyo glanced sideways at Yuki, who was blushing and scowling slightly at his dark-featured friend. "Causing trouble here, too?"

"Haha, so he was considered royalty at his old school, too, then?" Matt asked, glancing at Kyo and grinning. "I'll say he's causing trouble; we can barely walk two feet on campus without shoving our way through crowds of people dying for his attention. I swear, it's about as bad as when there's a celebrity sighting in the cafeteria. Someone's gonna get trampled to death one of these days…" Matt turned back to Yuki. "What do you plan to do about it, by the way? I for one am getting a little tired of having to deal with it all…"

"I'm sorry." Yuki apologized automatically. "I've been thinking about it and I have a few ideas on how to deter the populous. I'm sure the inconveniences won't be occurring for much longer. But in my defense," Yuki smiled a bit coldly. "There aren't quite as many people following me around as you made it sound."

"Are you going to the party tonight, Yuki?" Keith cut in, sensing a bit of tension and trying to dispel it.

"The one at the university?" Yuki asked, grateful for the diversion. Kyo had tensed slightly beside him.

"Yeah. The one at the guy's dorms…the one that frat house is hosting?" Keith clarified.

"Those things are stupid." Matt commented. "Do you even know which frat house it's for?"

"Does it matter? There'll be lots of fun things to do! Come on, Matt--it's our first year! We're entitled to go to stupid parties and get wasted!" Keith pleaded with his friend. "Yuki, you'll come, right? And Kyo." The sandy-haired teen turned to the crimson-eyed young man beside him. "You work all the time, right? So you should come and have some fun with people your own age. You can't be much older than we are…"

"Dude, it's exactly because we're freshman that we shouldn't go…do you have any idea--have you ever heard of freshman hazing? That's why we've been invited, genius; for entertainment." Matt rolled his eyes, shoveling the last of his food into his mouth.

"All part of the college experience, right?" Keith countered. "Besides, they won't do anything to us…probably. I think our group is a bit of an enigma…people don't really mess with us unless they're hitting on Yuki."

"Yay, us." Matt commented dryly. "Listen carefully, stupid; when people are trashed they don't care who you are. Those upperclassmen are gonna see us, think 'freshmen', and proceed to do whatever the hell they please. Not my idea of a good time."

"Yuki…?" Keith turned to the silver-haired teen, his last resort.

"It could be fun…" Yuki replied slowly. Something in Keith's expression made it hard to say no. The sandy-haired teen reminded the Rat strongly of Momiji…and Yuki felt an inexplicable wave of homesickness overwhelm him. He wasn't sure he wanted to stay in the apartment that night, either…he wasn't sure he wanted to talk to Kyo…to sort things out. It would be an arduous task, and he was emotionally exhausted. Why not just go out and have a little fun? "I think I will go." Yuki announced.

"Oh, my…" Matt covered his eyes with an exasperated hand. "Are you serious? This is gonna be a total disaster. The two of you are going to get yourselves killed."

"So come with us." Keith replied glibly. Matt scowled at him.

"I don't have much choice now, do I?" The dark-blue haired teen gathered his dishes and put them in the sink.

"Well, if you'd rather not, I could go with them. I'm not doing anything tonight." Kyo volunteered.

"Thanks, but I'd better just go." Matt sighed. "I've no doubt you'd be able to handle Yuki, but this one…" Matt lightly smacked Keith on the head. "He's got a special talent for getting into trouble."

"Come anyway, Kyo!" Keith demanded, smiling. "The more the merrier, after all."

"It isn't like I've got anything else to do…" Kyo shrugged, gathering his own dishes and putting them in the sink. The other two teens followed suit.

"So we'll catch you two around nine tonight then." Matt decided. "I'll give you a call, Yuki, when we get to your apartment complex. Then we'll all head on over to the frat house…and more than likely the worst night of our lives. But hey, it'll be a college experience, right?" The dark-featured teen turned to smile in mock excitement at his sandy-haired friend.

"You got it." Keith agreed, smiling back.

"Well, we should probably run…later." Matt shook his head, heading out the door. Keith followed, waving a goodbye to Yuki and Kyo.

An awkward silence enveloped the apartment.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

"You know, we could have avoided that whole awkward moment if you hadn't completely destroyed that chair this morning." Yuki broke the silence, turning to glare slightly at his cousin.

"If you hadn't invited over those ridiculous friends of yours, we wouldn't have had to deal with _any _of that." Kyo countered, starting to clean the dishes. Yuki picked up a rag and began drying, absent-mindedly.

"You don't have to come tonight."

"There's no way in hell you're going to a frat house with two idiots like them." Kyo snorted. "And just so you know, you absolutely _suck _at making decisions when you've got six shots of vodka running through your veins."

Another moment of silence descended.

"Are we…an item?" Yuki asked softly, focusing intently on the cup he was drying.

"…I guess that's up to you." Kyo replied, scrubbing a plate unnecessarily hard.

"Oh." Yuki replied.

"Yeah, that doesn't really clarify things for me." Kyo pointed out somewhat caustically, handing the plate to Yuki to dry without looking at the silver-haired teen.

"I…" Yuki blew a few strands of hair from his eyes. "Can we just not talk about this until after tonight? I'm way too exhausted to think clearly right now…"

"You're the one who brought it up…" Kyo pointed out.

"Yeah, well I'm sorry." Yuki snapped. "It's just another manifestation of how poorly my brain is working right now."

"I have to do a few things at the dojo." Kyo changed the subject abruptly after a moment's silence. "So I probably won't see you till tonight, anyway."

"Yeah." Yuki sighed. "Okay."

"Don't do anything stupid while I'm gone."

Rinsing his hands from the soap suds, Kyo dried them on his pants before grabbing his gym bag and heading out the door.

Yuki watched him go, collapsing on the couch as soon as the door closed, his head throbbing.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

The second they entered the frat house, the four boys were immediately dispersed into a tempest of girls, boys, and beer.

Trying to gain some kind of control over where he was being jostled, Kyo set his jaw and glared around trying to find his cousin--or anyone he knew, for that matter--in the haze of smoke and the flashing, multi-colored lights. He didn't have any luck. A rather fake-looking blonde stumbled into his chest, however, wrapping her arms around his neck and sloshing some kind of alcoholic beverage down his back.

"What the hell..." Kyo muttered, gently but firmly gripping her wrists and pulling out of the girl's grasp. Forcing his way through the crowd, Kyo deposited the now-giggling teen on a chips-and-beer covered leather couch.

"You look so bad-ass…" The girl giggled, gazing up at the crimson-eyed young man with dilated green eyes.

"…Thanks." Kyo replied, arching an eyebrow. "You look completely trashed."

"I am!" Leaning back against the couch, the blonde smiled almost coyly. "And I won't remember a damn thing in the morning…so you wanna have some fun? No strings attached…"

"I'm good." Kyo shook his head, turning away from the now-puzzled teen. He continued to glare around the room, looking for his cousin. "You'd think silver hair would be fairly easy to spot…" Kyo muttered to himself angrily, threading his way through the crowd in an aimless manner.

"Hey man…" A rather firm, overly-friendly hand clasped the crimson-eyed young man's shoulder, and it took all of Kyo's self-control not to lash out full force at the unexpected contact. Turning to look at who was addressing him, Kyo cursed under his breath to find a stylish, auburn-haired university student with a frat-house symbol hanging from the chain around his neck. His black t-shirt hugged his lean, muscular body, dark jeans hanging from his hips. Taking in his appearance in a split second, Kyo suddenly wanted to punch him.

It was a gut instinct.

"Whoa!" Drunkenly dodging the attack, the other young man grinned. "Damn…those are some reflexes! I knew you'd be a great fighter…wanna enter the contest? I'll back you the entering fee…winner gets to take home a free ipod, laptop, and have a freshman slave for the whole semester. You can have the ipod and the laptop, I'll take the freshman. Deal?"

"No." Kyo almost snarled, turning to go.

"Darts, then?" The other young man tightened his grip on Kyo's shoulder. "I know you want to see the dart room…it's one hell of a game."

"Fine. The dart room, then." Kyo agreed. Maybe he'd be able to spot Yuki, Matt or Keith along the way. At least he wouldn't be wandering around aimlessly…

"Great." Grinning again, the auburn-haired young man led Kyo up to the second story and toward the back rooms.

The dart room was full of holes, smashed furniture, and seven guys intent on their game.

"I found an eighth." The auburn-haired young man announced, gesturing toward Kyo.

The seven other men in the room grunted their approval after glancing at Kyo appraisingly.

Leaning against the back wall, the auburn-haired young man settled back to watch the game progress.

"Not that I really give a damn, but what is your name?" Kyo asked, coming to stand, arms crossed, in front of the young man who'd entered him into a dart-game he didn't intend to participate in.

"My bad…the name's Rider. Kip Rider." Grinning again, Kip nodded toward the dart board across the room. "And it's your turn to shoot."

"Actually, Kip, I don't want to play. Thanks for showing me the room, but I'm out." Turning to go, Kyo paused when two young men barred his way.

"What the hell?" Kyo scowled, shoving past and making his way down the hall, raucous laughter echoing behind him.

"Kyo!" Kip called after him. Turning around to look at the boy, eyes scorching, Kyo waited to hear what the drunken frat boy had to say.

"If you want to see some real fun, go downstairs to the basement and see what's happening with your cousin!" Kip laughed again, before disappearing into the dart-room.

Jumping the second-floor railing and landing on the main floor, Kyo scanned the room quickly, a string of curses flowing from his mouth. The smoky-haze, thick crowd, and flashing lights made it impossible to figure out where the stairs leading to the basement were…

"Hey again…" A sweet voice called coyly.

Glancing at the petite blonde who'd not moved from the leather couch, Kyo blew his bangs from his face in an agitated manner. Grabbing the girl's shoulders, he knelt down so that their eyes were level.

"Listen carefully." Speaking loudly and slowly, Kyo hoped the teen would understand him through the alcohol and the blasting hip-hop music. "I need to know how to get to the basement."

"That's easy…" Giggling, the girl leaned forward, pressing her forehead against Kyo's. "But you have to give me a kiss first."

"Just my luck." Kyo muttered, reluctantly pecking the blonde on her dark red lips and waiting impatiently.

"That wasn't a kiss…" The girl pouted.

"Tell me, or you'll be kissing my fist." Kyo snarled, hoping the blonde wouldn't call his bluff. She blinked at him, green eyes surprised.

"The stairs are just on the other side of the snack table over there." Speaking coldly, the blonde stood up shakily and stalked away through the crowd, stumbling into Kip, who caught her easily before looking up and locking gazes with Kyo. Kip grinned, glancing at his watch.

"Better hurry." Kip mouthed to Kyo, before sliding his hands down the blonde teen's sides and kissing her neck.

Scowling, Kyo turned toward the stairwell just as the door sprang open and an almost unrecognizable figure stumbled out from the basement, scrambling across the floor desperately.

One hand clutching at his shoulder, Yuki froze when he caught sight of his crimson-eyed cousin. Kyo took in the silver-haired teen's appearance, a look of complete incredulity on his face. A teal off-the-shoulder shirt with a silver fleur-de-lis embroidered on the front and a black mini-skirt had replaced Yuki's former attire of black slacks and a dark blue button-up shirt. Black and silver stilettos had been shoved onto his feet. Silver hair was tousled, violet eyes flashed wild, angry, and terrified.

The small crowd around the basement door had paused momentarily, taking in the newcomer before them with a mixture of confusion and delight on their faces.

Tripping over the four-inch heels, Yuki darted clumsily over to where Kyo still stood motionless, with white-hot rage building up in his veins. Clutching his cousin's shirt, Yuki buried his face in Kyo's neck, letting out a ragged sigh, before grabbing the tanned young man's wrist and starting to painfully make his way toward the frat house door.

"Isn't it hilarious?" Kip called out, catching up with Kyo just as they'd managed to shove their way to the door. Yuki froze, completely still, his grip on Kyo's wrist tightening to a painful degree.

"I bet this'll be a story for the family reunions, eh?" Kip continued, grinning. "God, your cousin is hot, man…but hey, I didn't know that they'd completed the fighting tournament yet…they were supposed to tell me when it started. I hate those damn bastards…they never listen to me…and I'm the head of this frat house! Can you believe it? But hey, I'm glad to see that you did enter and that you won the prize. Weird, though…winning your cousin as a fresh-slave. Don't you think you'd rather trade him for something else? What do you think; I've got a flat-screen television, yours for the taking, if you trade me your cousin. That'd be a great story, too, yeah? Ha-ha--aauugh!"

Kyo's fist shot out before he could think, catching Kip's eye straight on. He tried to yank his other hand free from Yuki's grip, to follow his first attack with an even more painful second one, but the silver-haired teen wouldn't let go. Turning to glare at his cousin, Kyo paused when he met pleading violet eyes.

"You bastard!!" Kip yelled, a hand cupping his eye painfully. "Get them, you damn fools!" Glancing around through his one good eye, Kip cursed to find that there were only regular party-goers around him, all cheering and laughing at the entertaining scene before them. The members of his frat house were nowhere around. Not that they would have listened to him, anyway, Kip thought bitterly.

"Let's go." Yuki suggested quietly, tugging on Kyo's wrist. "Please.'

"Don't you want to get your clothes?" Kyo snarled, still glaring at the auburn-haired frat-leader sprawled on the floor before him.

"No…" Yuki whispered, tugging more urgently. "I…I just really want to go back home."

"Yuki! Kyo!" Keith and Matt shoved their way through the crowd, concerned looks on their faces. "What happened?"

"Go to hell." Kyo snapped, stalking out the frat house door, dragging a stumbling Yuki behind him.

"Do you want us to--" Matt began.

"I want you to get out of my sight before I make one huge, bloody mess." Kyo interrupted savagely, turning to glare at the dark-featured teen, his expression smoldering and wild. Matt took a step back, before nodding and walking back to the frat party, dragging an astonished Keith behind him.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

They walked toward the apartment complex in a tense silence, Kyo not looking at his cousin, Yuki trying his best to keep up with the crimson-eyed young man before him, his slender ankles wobbling painfully as he tried to walk in the unfamiliar new shoes strapped onto his feet.

"Ah!" Tripping over a particularly uneven stretch of sidewalk, Yuki stumbled to his knees. Kyo paused, finally turning to look at his silver-haired companion.

"Dammit, I forgot…" Grabbing Yuki's slender forearm, Kyo yanked upward and caught the slender teen as he fell forward. "Why didn't you say something?" Scowling, Kyo hoisted the silver-haired boy up into his arms, cradling him absentmindedly in his arms. "I was wondering why it was taking so long to get back…"

"Kyo…" Yuki whispered, feeling worse than he had in a long time. He ached all over, and his heart felt like it would burst.

"What?" The crimson-eyed young man answered gruffly, climbing the stairs to their apartment.

"I'm really, really sorry." Yuki buried his face in the crook of his cousin's neck.

"Yeah…well, so am I." Putting the silver-haired teen down gently, Kyo dug in his pocket for the apartment key and opened the front door. Pulling his cousin over to the couch, Kyo sat down on the floor and began trying to figure out how to undo all the intricate straps that bound his cousin's slender feet to the stilettos.

"Just cut them." Yuki suggested. "It's not like I'll be wearing them again."

Nodding, Kyo went into the kitchen and returned with a knife, proceeding to cut the straps of the stilettos off of Yuki's feet.

After the binding footwear had come off, Yuki stripped the rest of the way, discarding the beer-scented clothing into a pile and turning to catch his cousin's gaze.

"…You were the one that ran away this time." Yuki pointed out.

"…Yeah, what of it?" Kyo replied, blushing.

"I'm not used to having you run away." Yuki shrugged, coming closer to his cousin and smiling. "To be honest…I was really surprised. I didn't like it." The silver-haired teen wrapped his arms around Kyo's neck, playfully nipping at his lower lip before pulling back and searching the crimson eyes before him. "…Do you not want to do this?"

"What kind of question is that?" Kyo demanded, belatedly wrapping his own arms around Yuki's waist.

"One that needs answering." Yuki replied, staring directly into Kyo's eyes. He wasn't backing down. He was terrified, yes…but he was also determined.

"I thought I'd already answered you." Kyo whispered, blushing as he trailed feathery kissed down Yuki's face, biting gently on his lower lip before pulling back.

"…Are we going to…you know…" Yuki paused, searching for the right words. "Do you want to make this…I guess the correct terminology is official…"

"You mean, tell people…be a couple in public?" Kyo asked slowly.

"Yeah…" Yuki answered quietly.

They stood there for a few moments, both tense, breath mingling as each tried to read the other's thoughts.

It came together in an instant.

Seconds later, they were kissing passionately as they stumbled towards the bedroom.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Kyo watched his cousin sleeping peacefully beside him, a slow smile spreading across his own face as his eyelids began to close.

He was absolutely content.

He felt as though he'd broken free from the zodiac Curse all over again.

The feeling of attaining what he'd never dreamed would be possible.

The harsh realization that things wouldn't be easy.

The bitter-sweet knowledge that even though it wouldn't all come together like magic, it would all come together eventually.

And then there was something more…something completely different from the Curse.

When the Curse had broken, it had been an end.

An end to a world that had been theirs alone.

He wasn't bound to the Zodiac anymore…there wasn't anything holding him to those twelve particular relatives anymore.

Hatori had explained it once…

"_So did you ask him?" I pulled away from Yuki, smirking cockily. I was always acting more confident than I felt--a natural defense, I suppose, that I employed to keep myself from being completely shattered if the Rat ever decided to reject me._

"_Yeah." Yuki replied, licking his red lips. I liked to think that it was because he missed the warmth of my mouth, but I knew better than to kid myself. _

"_And?" I prodded. It had, truthfully, been bothering me a bit…I mean, not only were we both guys…but we were cousins. _

"_He explained it to me very thoroughly." Yuki began, slipping into a very good imitation of our serious dragon-possessed cousin…_

_--"How closely are the Zodiac related, Hatori?"--_

_--The Dragon glanced at me, an eyebrow arched. He studied my face for a second, and I wondered if I'd suddenly become transparent to his ice-colored eyes. But he didn't question my inquiry--instead, he sat down and lit up a cigarette.--_

_--"Not very closely related at all, actually. As you may have noticed, most of the Sohma are male. The female gene is rather scarce in our line…and so, even though most Sohma only have one or two children, there are hundreds of Sohma in every generation. You and the other Zodiac members are only distantly related…I'd say none of the Zodiac, with the exception of siblings, of course, are closer than fourth cousins."--_

_--"Hn…thanks, Hatori." I stood to go.--_

_--"Might I ask the reason for this inquiry?" Hatori's nonchalant voice made me pause. There was no way he could suspect…--_

_--"No reason besides curiosity and a desire to know that I share as little as possible with the Cat." I replied, turning to smile coldly at my dark-haired relation.--_

_--"You've nothing to worry about on that front." Hatori shrugged. "Kyo's your fourth or maybe even fifth cousin…and most families don't even keep track of relatives that distantly related. Only the Sohma do, to my knowledge."--_

_--"Yet another wonderful oddity about our family." I quipped caustically before leaving."--_

"…_So we're not really that closely related." I summed up slowly, looking into the violet eyes in front of me. _

"_Most people wouldn't even bother calling us cousins." Yuki affirmed, studying his nails. "Still…"_

"_Still?" I prodded. This was one of the very, very few times we'd spoken at length about anything. I was reluctant to let it end. _

"_Doesn't it bother you that we're both male…and supposed to be bitter enemies?" Yuki asked quietly, still studying his perfect, slender fingers. _

"…_It doesn't seem to bother you, and you're the smart one. So I don't see why I should care." I smirked again, before pulling him toward me and drawing him into another bout of our secret addiction. _

_I didn't want him thinking too much about it, in case he decided to stop._

_It was strange, though, I thought as I caressed his lips with mine. When it came to Yuki, it didn't cross my mind that we were both boys. All I knew was that I was addicted…completely addicted._

_All I knew was that, by some instinct, some habit, I wanted Yuki._

If not for the Zodiac Curse, he most likely never would have met the thirteen people he'd shared the curse with…not Yuki, not Haru, not Kisa, not Momiji, not Hatori, not Ayame, not Rin, not Hiro, not Ritsu, not Kureno, not Shigure, not Kagura, not Akito…he would have lived life without them.

As it was, he still held a strong inclination toward the Zodiac members. They would always be a part of his life, no matter what. However things could have been, this was how they were.

He had shared a private world, a private existence with those thirteen people.

Maybe that existence was over…maybe it had been destroyed…but he still had a bond with them.

He and Yuki, however…

There was something they still shared.

Something, he felt, that still belonged in a world all their own.

A world that even the rest of the Zodiac had never entered.

A world that was still only theirs; a world that was still going on.

A world he fervently hoped would never be destroyed.

**So that was a fairly long chapter, neh? And no cliff-hanger this time! ^_^ Hope you enjoyed it--please review if you have a second! I'll really appreciate it! And thanks sooo much to all those who have already reviewed--it really does inspire me to write more. Until next time then! **

**~WhitePhantom88**


	17. Tête à tête

_WhitePhantom88: Hey, so this story has been getting progressively intense...language, violence, etc...and this chapter is no exception, so hope you enjoy the drama, haha! Just as a note, tête-à-tête is French, and it translates to 'head to head', signifying something private; sort of a one-on-one...I don't want to spoil the chapter, but I hope the reasoning behind the chapter title makes sense at the end...ah, what the heck; I'll tell you now. I'm using the phrase to refer to a private sort of conversation, mostly, but it also extends to a broader realm...like the life these two are now sharing. :)_

_Anyway, as always, enjoy!_

_And thanks so much for the awesome reviews!_

_**~Hidden Addiction~**_

_**:Tête-à-tête:**_

Kyo was pissed.

"How the hell--what did they do to you?!" The crimson-eyed teen ran his fingers through his hair, teeth bared in a menacing manner.

Yuki tentatively touched the very edge of his black eye, watching as his reflection mirrored his action. The frat-house boys hadn't managed to draw blood, but there were several dark purple marks marring the silver-haired teen's pale skin.

"It was a blur, really…" Yuki replied, sitting down on the couch and pulling his legs up. Clasping his arms around his knees, the silver-haired teen blew a few hairs out of his eyes and watched his crimson-eyed cousin pace the floor in an irate manner. "I remember being dragged down the stairs and shoved against a wall…there was lots of raucous laughter and the smell of alcohol was over-powering…I demanded to know what was going on, and someone laughed again before explaining that I had been selected for the first prize. Before I could figure out whether he meant _be_ the first prize, or _receive_ the first prize, about two or three huge guys came at me, pulling at my clothes…I went all out." Yuki allowed himself a small smirk. "If you think I look bad, you should see them."

Kyo snorted, throwing a glare at the silver-haired teen. He didn't find the joke funny.

"…After giving them a couple black eyes and a few good shoves to the diaphragm, I finally resorted to biting them…hard…wherever I could. They backed off at first, screaming something about rabies and damn foreign bitches, but then they came back at me, this time with back-up. I made it hell for them, but they still managed to dress me up in that…those _things_…thankfully they let me keep my boxers…" Yuki laughed shallowly, hoping to ease some of Kyo's anger by trying to pass the whole incident off as nothing. He felt guilty for making his crimson-eyed cousin go in the first place…the last thing he wanted was for Kyo to be agitated and upset for the next week or so…the Cat could hold one hell of a grudge when he wanted to.

"It's not funny, Yuki, so you can stop laughing. It only makes me angrier." Kyo scowled, sitting down beside his cousin and cupping the silver-haired teen's face in his hand. "You really should get an ice-pack or something…maybe have the doctor look at it…just in case."

"I'm fine."

"Dammit--why didn't you tell me it was this bad last night?"

"I didn't know myself."

"You didn't know they'd beaten you this badly…? Couldn't you, I dunno, _feel_ it?!" Kyo demanded.

"Not really…I was too focused on other things." Yuki replied, a coy smile on his lips.

"Don't…" Kyo covered his face with his hands, sighing. "I already feel like shit for not noticing last night. I was pretty oblivious…I couldn't think straight--damn, I never want to see another frat-house as long as I live!"

"…Do you want me to tell the rest of the story, or have you heard enough?" Yuki asked quietly.

"I want to hear the rest." Kyo scowled again, getting up and shoving his hands roughly into his pockets. "Those bastards…" He muttered to himself.

"They shoved me up on this mini-stage thing, and then went about setting up some sort of arena-looking thing. Luckily they were too wasted to think that I might not be too keen on staying where they'd put me, so while they were busy elsewhere, I took off up the stairs…and you know the rest." Yuki smiled weakly at his cousin. "…I was so relieved to see you."

"Promise me one thing." Kyo demanded, turning on his cousin, his crimson eyes burning.

Yuki nodded slowly, waiting.

"Never, _ever_ drink six shots of _anything_ and then decide to go to a party again. In fact, promise you won't make any decisions without me approving them beforehand."

"…Ever? Or just when I'm drunk?"

"Just when you're drunk…it's not like I want to dictate your life." Kyo shook his head, smirking in spite of himself, and catching his cousin's gaze.

"It's a promise."

"Just out of curiosity," Kyo leaned forward to rest his forehead against Yuki's. "Would you have promised to let me dictate your life?"

"…I might have considered it. For a second." Yuki admitted, smiling up at his cousin, violet eyes almost crossing due to the proximity of their faces.

"Interesting…" Kyo breathed, leaning in to close the short distance still between them.

The doorbell rang, loud and incessant.

Cursing, Kyo quickly bit mint-flavored lips before kissing them.

"We should--" Yuki breathed.

"Yeah, I know…" Kyo muttered, straightening up. "I'm so tempted to kill whoever it is, though…"

Yuki laughed quietly.

Opening the door, Kyo felt his hands clench. The temptation to kill felt like it would crush his innards.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

"We wanted to see if Yuki was okay." Keith announced, his cheerful face serious for once.

"…If this is a bad time, we can come--" Matt began, taking in the look on Kyo's face.

"It is a bad time. And don't bother coming back later." Slamming the door shut, Kyo turned to look at Yuki, who was staring intently at his feet.

"…What?" Kyo demanded, scowling.

"Those were my friends." Yuki pointed out, not looking up. "I mean, they are annoying as hell sometimes, but…they do help deter the crowds at school…" Eyes widening, Yuki glanced up at Kyo, face ashen. "God, I sound like such a utilitarian bastard…"

"I don't know that I'd agree with that…" Kyo shook his head. "You could hardly hope to gain anything useful by sneaking off with me all the time…and even now, it's not like I'm some sort of asset. Hell, you'd probably be a lot better off without me." Grinning lopsidedly, Kyo waited for Yuki's returning smile.

A scowl graced the silver-haired teen's face instead.

"It's taken us a lot to get where we are now." Yuki said coldly. "So don't even joke about leaving me."

"…Your that upset over it?" Kyo asked dubiously, quirking an eyebrow.

"Don't act so shocked." Yuki snapped, blushing. "I've told you several times already how much I…"

"Go ahead…say it." Kyo whispered, grinning, his heart pounding.

"I want you…and I've always wanted you. And I always will. You're so stupid." Yuki felt his face flush even deeper, and he ducked his head in a poor attempt to hide it.

"Are you embarrassed?" Kyo teased, grasping his silver-haired lover's jaw and searching his tinged-pink face.

"Who wouldn't be?" Yuki scowled. "What teenaged boy wants to spout off ridiculous vows of love to his…his lover's face?"

"That was a vow of love?" Kyo asked, quirking an eyebrow. "Somehow I thought you'd be better at poetry…"

"Shut up." Yuki glared, cheeks aflame.

"Only if you give me something better to do with my mouth." Kyo challenged.

"That was the lamest line I've heard yet." Yuki commented, leaning forward to kiss the crimson-eyed young man anyway.

"Heh…but it worked…" Kyo laughed quietly into Yuki's mouth.

"I thought you said you'd shut up…" Yuki reminded his cousin, before wrapping his arms around Kyo's neck and deepening the kiss.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

By the time Monday rolled around, most of the bruises had faded. Only his black eye and a particularly large bruise on his left shoulder remained as Yuki hopped off of the city bus and walked toward his first class.

Keith and Matt were waiting at their usual meeting place, and Yuki greeted them with a wave and a smile. They returned the gesture, their faces tense.

"Feeling better?" Keith asked, eyes full of anxiety. "I'm really sorry!"

"Yeah, me too." Matt added, before Yuki could answer the question. "I really should have intervened…I spent the whole weekend regretting it!"

"And lecturing me about it…" Keith interjected. "And I completely deserved it. You should be angry at me, Yuki; don't be mad at Matt--he just didn't want to seem like a total ass by telling us what we can and can't do all the time."

"…Thanks, Keith." Matt muttered.

"I'm not angry at either of you." Yuki smiled a little more warmly than usual. "In the end, it was my decision alone that made me go to the party. So just drop it. And I mean seriously, drop it. One word about this weekend, and I am going to get angry at both of you."

"Deal." Matt grinned.

"On it." Keith nodded, smiling in relief.

"We're about to be late for class." Yuki pointed out, racing toward the classroom with his friends in tow.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Yuki walked slowly down the sidewalk, concentrating on the street-names and hoping he wouldn't get lost.

His afternoon class had been cancelled, due to the professor's wife. Mrs. Akers was in labor and due any hour, so naturally Mr. Akers had rushed off.

Yuki was glad. He liked Mr. Akers, and the somewhat absent-minded teacher had seemed elated about the birth of his child. He liked the class itself, too, despite the fact that he had to study harder than he'd ever had to before in order to understand the material. It was also the only class he had with some of the fraternity boys, and not having to face them today was great.

Plus, he got to surprise Kyo at the dojo.

A slow smile spread across Yuki's face as he thought of ways to tease the crimson-eyed young man about the over-due karate lessons he'd been promised.

The sound of breaking glass shook the silver-haired teen out of his thoughts. Glancing down the street, Yuki broke into a sprint at the sight of an orange-haired, crimson-eyed young man rolling in shards of glass with two brawny-looking fraternity members from his afternoon class.

"Someone call the police!" A shrill voice shrieked as a woman across the street covered the eyes of her daughter.

"What the hell is going on here?" A shopkeeper a few doors down demanded, coming out of his pizzeria just in time to witness Yuki toss aside his school satchel and launch himself at one of the brawny fraternity members. "Damn kids!" Cursing some more, the pizzeria owner disappeared back into his shop.

"Dude!" A couple of preteen boys who'd been skateboarding down the street raced up, pulling out their cell-phones and recording the sidewalk brawl.

Yuki had been thrown pretty quickly, his head hitting the side of the dojo pretty hard. Blinking in an attempt to clear the dots from his sight, he cursed as three pairs of shoes entered his vision.

"Here's the pretty run-away freshman…" A voice drawled.

Lunging forward, Yuki sent both fists flying into the surprised faces of two fraternity brothers. Rounding on the last one, Yuki kicked him in the jaw, sending the teen stumbling backward and causing him to crash into his howling comrades. All three fell backward onto the pavement.

Kyo had managed to use the glass shards to his advantage. He considered it unfair, but seeing as how his two burly assailants had already dug several shards painfully into his limbs, he figured all restrictions were out. Grabbing a handful of the sharp pieces, Kyo ignored the small biting cuts they created in his hand as he hurled the fistful of glass at his opponents. As the small but painful pieces of glass dug into their skin, the fraternity brothers growled, before ducking their heads and charging. Waiting until the last minute, Kyo jumped, landing on their bent-over backs and effectively shoving their faces into the glass-covered sidewalk they'd been fighting on.

He felt a sickening _crunch_ below his feet as two noses broke, and felt his own leg burning with a searing shot of pain as it began to buckle beneath him. Stumbling off of his opponents in shock, Kyo collapsed to the ground, trying to regulate his breath and ignore the excruciating pain in his leg as he watched the fraternity members roll onto their backs, clutching their bloodied noses and howling indistinguishable curses through blood-filled mouths.

A sharp, powerful, cold blast of water stunned all seven young men. It lasted for several minutes, during which the fraternity members kept cursing while Yuki and Kyo simply sat, motionless with shock and confusion.

After the unexpected shower ended, a gruff, authoritative voice broke through the sudden silence, assaulting the ringing-ears of the seven young men.

"That's enough! You five--get outta here!" Pointing at the fraternity members, the pizzeria owner glared, dark eyes intense under dark eyebrows. "Fraternities--ha! I've got half a mind to report you! More like a gang, than anything! Out of my sight!"

Taking off in less than a second, the five fraternity brothers disappeared around the corner.

"I don't know what that was all about, but you two are good boys. Don't get involved with the likes of them." Setting down the heavy-duty hose he'd employed as a weapon, the pizzeria owner crossed his arms and looked expectantly at the two astonished young men before him. "My name is Jo Agostino. I don't stick my neck out for just anyone. Although those young pups hardly count for anything but wild chickens." Spitting on the side of the road, Jo Agostino glared after the long-gone fraternity members before returning his dark gaze to the two cousins. "Lucky you closed up the dojo early today. Half of your students are spoiled rich kids--blood would send them running home to their mommas. I'll see you tomorrow, Orange. Don't worry about the glass; I know a great handy-man who owes me a couple favors."

"Uh…thanks." Kyo belatedly spoke, still trying to compute everything that had happened.

"Not a problem." Jo answered, turning to look solely at Kyo, his face unsmiling. "There are a lot of kids around here who hate their lives…who have a lot of anger and resentment, and they use that energy in destructive ways. You teach them how to use it well…how to channel it usefully. I am proud to have such an alternative to frat-houses and gangs by my business. Now go. I know how to deal with the police; Jo will take care of this." Gesturing to the mess around them, Jo smiled for the first time, a friendly and almost mischievous grin.

"Yeah." Kyo agreed, unable to think of anything else to do. He attempted to stand up, but his right leg buckled beneath him. Yuki was at his side in an instant, arm slung around his waist, acting as a human crutch.

"I think it might be broke…" Kyo gasped through clenched teeth. The pain was almost unbearable…

"Sarah can drive you to the hospital, yes?" Jo spoke up. Without waiting for an answer, the chef stuck his head into his shop and shouted in a foreign tongue.

"Are you okay?" Kyo asked, glancing at Yuki.

"Better off than you." Yuki answered, smiling.

"Am I too heavy?" Kyo panted, trying to keep off his injured leg as much as possible.

"Please." Yuki gave his cousin a look. "I'm not totally useless, you know…I'm pretty strong still, even without the Curse."

"Yeah, come to think of it…" Kyo twisted a grimace into a grin. "You can get rather aggressive…I'm always surprised at how strong you really are when you want something. Last night was a perfect example."

"Now I know you're okay." Yuki commented dryly, his cheeks flushing.

"Sarah is my daughter. She will drive you to the hospital." Jo had come back out, his teenaged daughter next to him, dangling the car keys from her wrist.

"Ready to go?" Sarah asked, smiling in a friendly manner.

"Ready when you are." Yuki replied, helping Kyo maneuver to the red car waiting by the pizzeria.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

"So _that's_ what they mean when they say that the Japanese are all about the family honor!" Sarah laughed, glancing at the two young men in the backseat through the rear-view mirror. "I always wondered…the Italians are like that too. Well, at least, if you come from a somewhat old-blood family like my dad. Whenever I ask why I have to do something, half the time the answer is, 'it's for the family, Sarah!'. Hey, do you mind if I turn the radio up? I love this song!"

Yuki and Kyo exchanged amused glances. Now that the pressure was off of his leg, the pain wasn't as bad. Kyo still felt like it would kill him any second, though.

Waiting politely until the song was over and the radio had returned to its normal volume, Yuki asked a question he hoped wouldn't come across as too rude.

"Sarah…you don't seem to be too disturbed about this whole incident…"

"Huh? Oh, you mean the fight?" Sarah made a face. "Yeah, well, I don't like it, but I spend just about every summer with extended family in Italy, and some of my cousins are in gangs and such…so I've kinda gotten used to the whole thing. Are you holding up alright back there?" Her dark brown eyes glanced at Kyo, eyebrow quirked in casual concern.

"Yeah, I'm fine." Kyo responded.

"You're a hard-core fighter, aren't you?" Sarah laughed pleasantly. "I can tell just by looking at you. We're almost at the hospital. I didn't think there'd be this much traffic on a Monday afternoon…weird, huh?"

"Yeah…weird." Yuki agreed, smiling.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Kyo opened his eyes, tilting his head lazily to the side and taking in the sight of his silver-haired cousin, who was currently seated at the bed-side desk, pen-cap clenched between his lips, focused on a text book, laptop open and waiting beside another stack of books.

As if he could feel the heat of Kyo's gaze, Yuki looked up and smiled, taking the pen-cap from his mouth.

"Are you hungry? Thirsty?"

"I'm fine." Kyo replied, rubbing his eyes and sitting up. "I wouldn't mind spending about three days running a marathon, though…"

"Unfortunately," Yuki bit back a smile. "The doctor expressly forbade such things until further notice."

"Screw the doctor; I'm sick of lying around and doing nothing all day." Kyo snapped, glaring at the cast that swallowed up a good portion of his right leg.

"Don't get sulky on me." Yuki requested mildly, standing up and stretching. "There isn't really anything I can do."

"You could sleep with me tonight."

"I don't think that's a good idea."

"I won't do anything…not unless you start it anyway." Kyo added, grinning. "Seriously, though…I've gotten used to having you beside me, and now I can't sleep very well without you. I'll be _very_ cranky tomorrow, I swear, if I don't at least get a good night's sleep tonight."

"Is that a threat?" Yuki asked, smiling as he quirked an eyebrow.

"Yes." Kyo replied stubbornly, glaring slightly at his silver-haired cousin, a slight pout on his face. "And it had better work, dammit."

"We'll see." Yuki laughed quietly.

"Yu-uki!" Kyo whined.

"Fine. But only if you're good for the rest of the day." Yuki consented.

"Hn. You're not very good at indulging sick people." Kyo pointed out crossly.

"Poor Koneko…" Yuki teased, leaning forward and kissing his cousin on the forehead before heading toward the door.

"Where are you going?" Kyo demanded.

"To see what we have in the refrigerator. You'll be starving in about fifteen minutes. It's always the same."

"I won't." Kyo protested. "Come back and talk to me."

"…Talk?" Yuki echoed, raising an eyebrow but coming back to the bedside anyway.

"Yes." Kyo affirmed. "I've been wondering something for a while now."

"Okay…" Yuki sat down, waiting.

"…What, exactly, was Machi to you?" Kyo asked, locking gazes with his violet-eyed cousin. "And what was Tohru?"

Taken aback by the unexpected questions, Yuki sat motionless and silent, trying to sort out his thoughts as Kyo watched him with anxious crimson eyes.

**Hey, sorry for the cliff-hanger ending--I'll update as soon as possible, I promise! Hope you enjoyed; as always, review if you can!**


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